


The adventures of Tsuki Yasuho

by obitolovebot_30



Category: Naruto
Genre: Anxiety Disorder, Attempt at Humor, Canon Compliant, Canonical Character Death, Gen, Genin Era, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, SI/OC, Self-Insert, Slow Build, Social Anxiety, Swearing, Teenage Drama, Uchiha Sasuke Bashing, Unreliable Narrator, but i promise it's minor, i'm trying to follow canon but might rebel, minor changes, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-06
Updated: 2020-05-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:07:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 51,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23038315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obitolovebot_30/pseuds/obitolovebot_30
Summary: Two years ago, a comatose unknown girl appeared on one of Konoha’s training grounds. She had no name, no family, no background and wasn't registered as a Konoha’s civilian anywhere. Once woken up, the girl appeared as an amnesiac. Still under surveillance, the Hokage mysteriously demanded and  authorized her late admission to the Academy. That's where the unknown girl found herself two years after her odd appearance. 'Who is she? Where does she come from? Is she a spy? What is her goal in Konaha?' That's the questions the Hokage and every elders are wondering. As if she was anything more than a young adult dropped into another dimension where she was unlucky enough to know its past, present, future and secrets.
Comments: 11
Kudos: 45





	1. And Here Comes Tsuki Yasuho

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I know this kind of fanfic isn't really original, Hell, I'm just trying to add an original character to the plotline of Naruto, give a more developed universe, analyse it and see where it will go. I won't try to change the plot or big events but there will still be some minor changes due to the impact of my character's presence. If you're still willing to read my story then enjoy! If you're one of those who don't like that kind of story then that's okay but know that I'm aware of the lack of originality if nothing else. Finally, English is not my first language and I don't have any beta. If there's typos or grammatical errors please point them out to me! Thank you!

“Listen, Naruto. You already failed the Academy’s final exam two times. And in plus of that you’re playing vandals, bakayarou?”

Uh? I opened my eyes, already feeling one hell of a headache pounding its way into my brain. I lifted my head from my arms with difficulty. What was all of that yelling about? I was so confused. 

Ah. It was Iruka again. I was so tired of this already I just wished I could fall asleep. Back at home and deep in my warm bed, if possible. 

“Hm.” was all that was heard from Naruto who was still tied with ropes on the floor. 

Iruka turned his attention to the orange troublemaker in front of him. Naruto’s future father figure made a face that meant disaster for us, even his veins were popping out, before turning toward the front of the class. “Pop quiz about henge no jutsu! Even for those who already passed the test!” Iraka yelled.

“What?” Everyone in the class, except Sasuke and I who was too busy cringing and trying to deal with my headache, revolted.

~~~~

Five minutes later, we were all lined up in front of Iruka. Almost the whole class already passed in front of him. The only ones left were strangely enough the main characters. And me. I glanced at them and tried not to laugh. I was a tall 11 year old but they were all so tiny compared to me! I already felt old enough. 

A tiny and unbearable most of the time Sakura walked in front of Iruka and made the seals for the technique. “Haruno Sakura.. I’m ready! Henge!” 

We were behind her so we only saw a puff of smoke and Iruka’s back but it was easy to predict that she passed with flying colors. 

“Yosh.” 

Iruka’s validation was all that was needed for Sakura to release the henge and turn towards us (Sasuke) blushing. “Yatta!” She squealed. “Did you see that, Sasuke-kun?” 

The tiny Uchiha next to me ignored her. 

I sighed. Dealing with Sakura’s and the whole class’ obsession of Sasuke for two years was Hell. 

“Next… Uchiha Sasuke!” 

“Hai.” 

Sasuke walked in front of Iruka making me the next one. He transformed immediately without saying anything and I didn't need to be in front of him to know that it was perfectly done. 

“Yosh.” 

Sasuke and his tiny brooming self joined the rest of the class. 

“Um, next.. Tsuki Yasuho!” 

I sighed and walked in front of a skeptic Iruka. I made the seals and concentrated in order to use the good amount of chakra to do the technique.

“Henge no jutsu.” I whispered. 

A version of me from before appeared in front of Iruka in all of her glory. Yet again. Damn, I still couldn't transform into anything else than 19 yo me even with how hard I tried! I dared a glance at Iruka and immediately looked in shame at my transformed vans (how I missed them) seeing his disappointed face. 

“How many times did I tell you Yasuho? You can't pass the test if you’re not able to transform into me, at least. Who is that supposed to be, I wonder. Also, what are these clothes, anyway?.” Iruka scolded me while I remained quiet and quickly transformed back. “We’ll see about that later.” 

I walked next to Sasuke, ignoring him and everyone else. It wasn't as if it was my fault. 

“Next… Uzumaki Naruto!”

“You’re bothersome do you know that? Both of you.” Mini Shikamaru complained, staring at Naruto then at me with an odd look in his eyes. 

“All of that is your fault!” Ino scoffed. 

“I don't care!” Naruto exclaimed before making his way in front of Iruka in a staged determination. 

I remained quiet, simply glaring at Ino. I never liked her. It wasn't that I didn't try but she reminded too much of the girls who used to bully me in high school. I contained a shiver and decided to pay attention to Naruto’s future prank. Iruka’s reactions were always funny to me before but now I had second-hand embarrassment. I could see Hinata blushing from where I was. She was so cute. 

“Henge!” Naruto shouted. 

Chakra erupted from all around him. Needless to say, that boy was indeed blessed with huge amounts of chakra and cursed with shitty chakra control. You weren't supposed to see it while making a simple technique. Smoke appeared and dispersed to make appear a full naked blonde-haired teenage girl with smoke conveniently covering her breasts and intimate parts. I cringed. I told him this jutsu was problematic but he didn’t listen to me. Fortunately, I was there to force him to cover the majority of the body with smoke. ‘Naruto’ blowed a kiss at Iruka while moaning and making sexy noises. I still wondered to this day where the fuck did he learned that. He was twelve! Jiraya and Kakashi weren't even in his life yet to corrupt him like this for Fuck’s sake. 

Iruka blanched, jaw completely dropping while blood was falling out of his nose. That closeted pervert fell on his back and Naruto dropped the henge. Naruto exploded in laughter, making me cringe even more. I liked Naruto but damn I still had my headache. Anyway, I still wondered to this day how Hinata could be in love with him at this point in time. He was such an (adorable) little shit but still a little shit nonetheless. And his ‘sexy henge’ was too cringy. 

“It's Oiroke no jutsu! Do you like it?” Naruto was supporting his stomach in laughter. 

Iruka suddenly regained energy and yelled at Naruto. “I forbid you from inventing such ridiculous jutsus, idiot!” We could see drool getting on the Uzumaki’s face. 

I closed my eyes and put my hands to cover my ears, completely on the verge of crying because of the headache. Why were they all yelling so much? After a few seconds I opened my eyes and caught Iruka looking at me with an unreadable face. 

“You are all authorized to leave except Naruto. Yasuho, you don't seem really okay. Go home, we’ll talk later.” 

I whispered a thank you and left as quickly as I could, feeling Shikamaru’s and Naruto’s odd looks as they watched me leave. 

~~

I left the academy and ran to get home as soon as possible, completely ignoring other civilians and ninjas alike in the street. I couldn’t wait to learn the shunshin. At least, I wouldn’t have to slowly cross the entire village and meet people. Ten minutes later, I finally arrived in my small apartment, one similar to Naruto’s since we were practically neighbors, and fell on my bed. 

I was so tired of being in this world. After two lonely years, I still wasn't accommodating to this. Being in an anime was not funny at all. Why did I even prayed for that before? I’d still take my old shitty life back over being here. 

When I first wake up here I was happy when I discovered where I was. I passed as an amnesiac as they strangely couldn't access to my mind, thankfully. Must be because I’m from another world. They said my chakra was abnormal. They gave me an apartment and authorized me going to the academy. I just had to act like I possessed a strong will of fire. I saw the village and my favorite characters. I was happy with my situation. Then came the paranoia, loneliness and depression. I missed my parents, cat, friends and home so much. I got tired of being constantly in alert, scared of being noticed by ROOT or something or even discovered by the Sandaime. I always felt ANBU following me everywhere and felt forced to act like a good patriotic kid 24/7 making me shut down. No one ever talked to me except Naruto and I was always the one coming to him because I didn't want him (us) to be too alone. We had ramen once in a while (Ichiraku was a blessing) but that was it. I tried not to become too close to the boy or else the Sandaime would accuse me of trying to steal their jinchuriki or something. Anyway, the odds of me ending up in jail were too great.

I was good at the academy and had good grades due to my general knowledge and intelligence of a young adult but I was failing Academy so miserably! All because of that henge technique, taijutsu and fucking kunoichi classes. I was already so ashamed of being a general failure before but it absolutely had to continue in this universe as if it wasn’t enough. I had two harsh years of constant training to keep up with the others but it was hard for someone who was used to a civilian lifestyle all of her life. This ninja shit wasn't easy at all. I dedicated almost all of my days to training and I was really tired. Fortunately, this dimension hopping thing made my scoliosis and weak bones from before disappear. Now any basic physical moves was so easy with chakra. I nearly fell once when I discovered that I could jump from the roofs without getting tired. The speed was also something. I was one of the fastest of the class. Shunshin was my favorite jutsu already and I didn’t even learn it yet. I even promised myself that I will try to take Shisui’s title and honor it. I wanted to be the next Shisui no Shunshin and be as fast as him. Also, I had some kind of sensory preposition. I could kinda feel how someone is feeling but it was still just impressions. It must be because my body wasn't used to being around chakra for most of my life so now I was too aware of it but that really wasn't all that impressive.

I had to graduate tomorrow. I couldn't live like a civilian and let things happen and die quickly during Orochimaru’s invasion or Pain’s attack because I wasn't able to defend myself. It was purely egocentric. If they were in my situation, I knew a lot of people would immediately try and change things but I wasn’t that kind of person. This was too stressful already. If an opportunity arose, I’d take it but that was it. Try to change the literal end of the ninja world, who was started by too many manipulated people and a literal goddess, when you were literally just a young adult living a basic life a few years ago and then come talk to me.

I sighed and closed my eyes. If my memories were still good the beginning of canon should have started today. I just had to wait, see what happens and pray to not die too quickly. It would be foolish to think that I could change the canon. It was way too late to change Obito's mind. Not like I could find him right now even though I tried and search for him around the Memorial Stone in vain. I could probably try to stop Sasuke from joining Orochimaru but if Naruto aka the main character armed with his psychological weapon better know as Talk No Jutsu failed then who was I to succeed? 

I hummed and decided to sleep, ignoring my stomach’s call for food. At least, it’ll make the headache finally go away. 

~~~~

“Well… the final exam will start. Meet at the next classroom when you'll be called. You will be tested on Bunshin no Jutsu!” 

Well, that was it..the final exam. Yay, now it was surely the beginning of canon. I glanced at Naruto. We could all feel the despair coming from him at the name of his arch nemesis. The bunshin no Jutsu. At least it wasn't about that damn henge. 

I went into the next class room when I was called. I rubbed my arms, feeling anxious under my classmate’s stares. I knew the rookie nine pretty well from before but now the only person I dared to talk to, and it was rare, were Naruto, Hinata and Shino. They were the only ones in the class who showed me sympathy and kindness. Too bad I was too shy to go say to Hinata and Shino more words than "hello" and 'how are you".

I arrived in front of a certain Jury composed of Iruka and, ugh, Mizuki. I tried to appear as if I didn't want to throw up due to the stress of failing and that traitor’s presence. 

“Hi, huh, I will start. Now.” I grimaced and made the seals. “Bunshin no Jutsu.” I whispered. It took a few seconds for my clones to appear by my side but I succeeded. I looked hopefully from my two clones (at least my clones looked like my current self) to Iruka and waited for their decision. 

“Ahem. It looks good and tangible enough but you took too much time to make them appear.” Iruka rubbed his cheek. “I don't know if I can make you pass, Yasuho. I know that you tried to make efforts but…” he stopped to think. “You know what? Seeing your statistics and the efforts you made throughout your only two years at the academy instead of the 6 required.. You have 2 on ninjutsu, 1 on taijutsu, 3 on genjutsu, 3 on intelligence, 1,5 on strength, 3,5 on speed, 1,5 on stamina and 2 on hand seals which makes a total of 17,5. You come at the second top of the class right after Sasuke. You fully deserve to pass. You deserve it, Yasuho. Here you can take your hitae-ate.” Iruka pointed out, smiling. Mizuki nodded in agreement. 

I blinked. Well, that was rather anti-climatic. 

I didn't know what to say. I was so shocked. I was fully prepared of failing another time. I wasn't prepared at all for being the second of the class. I didn't want to look at my grades since I started the Academy (it gives me too much pressure) so I wasn't aware at all of how I truly was doing. But saying that I was the second top rookie? It must have have been a mistake. 

“A-are you sure? Um, I meant t-thank you, Iruka-sensei. And Mizuki-sensei.” I bowed and sent a smile at Iruka for his act of blindness. I meant kindness, sorry. 

“Stop underestimating yourself, Yasuho-chan. Work on your taijutsu, stamina and hand seals and you’ll make a fierce kunoichi when it will add to your already incredible speed and intelligence for a mere graduate.” Mizuki added. Genuinely or not I didn't care but seeing Iruka nodding eagerly fulfilled me with confidence. 

“Thank you!” I bowed again, quickly grabbed my newly acquired blue navy hitae-ate and left the classroom. Mizuki had absolutely no business in saying nice things like that since I wasn't relevant to his plans, or at least I hoped, so I was kinda creeped out. Look how this universe made me lose faith in others. 

~~~~

I left the Academy, too busy staring at the iconic Konoha hitae-ate in my hands to see that I joined the crowd of freshly graduates until I heard people insulting Naruto. I glared at them and quickly found a saddened and lonely Naruto on The Swing. It was heartbreaking. I couldn't let him alone like this so I decided to join him. 

I stood in front of him, ignoring people insulting me for joining Konoha’s jinchuuriki. “Hey, don’t listen to them, alright?!.” 

Naruto rubbed his eyes. He tried to smile at me but couldn't when he saw what I was holding in to. “You passed. I’m glad for you.” I knew he really thought that but was too saddened to mean his words right now.

I dropped on my knees to look at him directly in his eyes. I sucked at comforting people but at least I tried because I knew way too well what it meant to fail when everyone you knew passed. “Naruto, look me in the eyes.” I grabbed his face and forced him to look at me. “Look, it's not definitive. You aren't meant to fail definitely. It’s not because you failed earlier that you succeeding on achieving your dream is impossible. And it's not because everyone passed that you're worth nothing. Earlier I really passed on a thin line if it wasn't for Iruka’s kindness I wouldn't have passed. You graduating one hour ago just wasn't meant to happen but it doesn't mean that you won't later.” I glanced behind him and saw Mizuki lurking. “Believe in yourself, dattebayo, as you say!” I smiled at him and patted his hair. 

He regained a spark in his eyes. “Thank you, Yasuho-chan!” his sudden grin felt more sincere. 

“See you later, Uzumaki.” I waved and left quickly, letting Mizuki manipulate Naruto with his shitty plan. I could have intervened but Naruto needed to graduate and know the truth about Kurama in plus of having Iruka’s hitae-ate, respect and love.


	2. Sasuke, Sakura and Yasuho : Friends or Enemies?

I woke up, took a shower and got dressed in my usual basic white t-shirt, black ninja pants similar to Kakashi’s and those horrid black sandals-boots. I looked at my calendar. We were October 15th. Three days passed since our graduation and it was finally the day we get our genin team. I hoped I wouldn't be on team 7, it would be too much drama even though I’d love to be with Kakashi everyday and it doesn't have anything to do with the fact that he's my favorite character. Not at all. I like tranquility anyway.

I took a quick breakfast which consisted of Crêpes I made with the ingredients I could find and orange juice. Life was difficult for someone who led a western lifestyle suddenly dropped in a Japanese based society. Fortunately, my dimensional hopping weirdly gave me the ability to magically learn, understand, write and read Japanese or else I’d be fucked. Then it was just a question of adapting and using my acting skills. I still forget most of the time to use the honorifics and bow at people but I managed well.

I then went to feed my cat Tobi (I still snickered at the name) who was patiently waiting in front of his bowl. I found him one evening a few months after my apparition here, all alone on a backstreet near the training ground I often use. He was all black and white with green eyes. I had to take him, he looked too much like the cat I left back in my world and it helped me with the loss. I kissed him and let him eat.

When I was finally ready to go, I stood in front of the mirror in the living room and took my hitae-ate, putting it high on my forehead making it cover my hairline. I couldn't help but smile at my reflection and fangirl a little bit internally as I was wearing a real ass konoha hitae-ate. But my smile quickly fell when I started to study my reflection and thought about how I didn't really change physically compared to Before when I was eleven. Only things that changed was that I was overall prettier than before, my skin was clear (it seemed that acne wasn't a problem for teens in this world), my nose wasn't broken (thanks God I could actually like it now) and I had tiny stress marks like Itachi's when he was still a kid just begging to get longer and more pronounced. That was how much this new ninja life stressed me.

Thankfully, I had the same light brown mid-long hair. I decided to grow them long since short hair didn't really suit my chubby face but I tied them in a low ponytail every time I trained and will tie them for my future missions. I didn't want them to hinder me. I had a light tan skin due to my North-African origins and was proud of it. I also got lucky and kept the same eye color, a mix between blue, green and grey. Right now they were blue and green. The shade changed depending on my mood and environment, making them unique and contrast with my rather dull appearance. Apart from my eyes, I truly looked like a Konoha citizen. I let out an embarrassed chuckle. I couldn't help but notice that I particularly looked like Rin. I had the same hair, hair color and face. I looked like a green eyed chubby Rin. The emplacement of the hitae-ate didn't help but I couldn't see it being anywhere else. I just needed the facial tattoos and brown eyes to truly looked like her. I sighed. I really hope I wouldn't be on Kakashi's team. I didn't want to be a constant visual reminder of one of his failures and traumas. 

I cried internally concerning the fact that I was still chubby. I trained and trained and trained to lose that damn weight but it looked like I was cursed even here. The only thing that changed concerning my body was that while I had round cheeks, fat arms, a fast chest (my boobs were already starting to grow! I just hoped I wouldn't end up having the same as Tsunade's) a round belly and thick thighs, at least I was fit and it didn't hinder my physical capacities at all. I just had a shitty metabolism and it didn't look like I would know one day what it felt like being skinny. Only thing I could do now was trying to show body positivism. 

I glanced a last time at my reflection, took my black jacket and left my apartment. 

~~

I arrived early in the class but Naruto was already here and as soon as saw me he jumped out of his place. “Yasuho-chan!” he shouted. 

“Yes..?” I stopped and looked nervously at him. 

Naruto jumped in front of me and crashed me in a hug. “Thank you for what you told me the other day! Look, I graduated!” he released me and pointed out at Iruka’s hitae-ate, a big smile on his face. The sun. It looked like the sun. “You were right! Thank you very much I’ll never forget it! Now I can finally become Hokage, dattebayo!” he lifted his arm and watched me with so much resolve I couldn't help but grin and chuckle in return. 

“You’re welcome!” I patted his soft spicky hair and joined my assigned place, right above where he will sit with Sakura and Sasuke. 

I put my head in my arms and tried to sleep waiting for plot to happen until I heard Shikamaru’s voice. 

“Well, what are you doing here?” I sat up correctly and saw that he was addressing Naruto. “This reunion is reserved for those who passed the exam.” 

“Are you blind or what? Don't you see the hitae-ate on my forehead?” the Uzumaki pointed at said aforementioned covered forehead, all grinning. “From today, I’m a ninja, dattebayo. And so is Yasuho-chan!” Shikamaru turned to me for confirmation and made a o with his mouth. I made the peace sign. Then he turned to Naruto again. “How to say it… It fits me, huh?”

Shikamaru simply sighed and left to sit next to me while Naruto started to play with his hitae-ate. 

All of a sudden, Sakura’s and Ino’s shouts were heard. I saw Sasuke flinch in synchronization with me. I didn't really appreciate him but he had all of my sympathy on this point. I sighed, god I didn't want another headache. Not today. 

“Ew.” I shivered seeing Naruto’s growing blush. 

Sasuke looked at me curiously and I glanced at him in question but he quickly turned his head again to stare at the window. 

“Hi, Sakura-chan!” Naruto stood up and waved at his crush. 

“Get out.” Sakura appeared in front of me and Naruto and quickly pushed him. Naruto fell at my feet. I sighed, helping him to get up. “H-hello, Sasuke-kun.” Sakura joined her hands on her chest, blushing.

Sasuke ignored her. After a few painful seconds of silence she asked “Can I sit… with you?” 

Ino appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Sakura’s arm. “It’s me who can sit next to Sasuke-kun!” 

Sasuke still looked right in front of him, ignoring both of the banshees. 

“I was first.” 

“I’m the one who entered into the classroom first.”

“It’s me!”

“No, it's me!” 

My right eyebrow twitched in anger. 

“I was here first.” 

“It’s my place!” 

I saw Sasuke shake his head and immediately felt compelled to act. 

“Would you shut up already? For fuck’s sake Naruto was here first, go away. I don't think Sasuke wants to sit with people screaming like this, anyway, so shut the fuck up! There's the whole room available for you two to sit down. You won't die.” I bursted out. 

Everyone fell silent. 

I looked around me and saw Sasuke staring at me with slightly widened eyes, Naruto fell on the ground shocked by my outburst, Ino and Sakura had their jaws open and pretty much everyone was more or less taken aback. 

After a few seconds of silence, Sakura screamed. “And who are you to say that?!” 

Ino scoffed. “No one knew you two years ago. You came from nowhere and think you can talk to us like that? You're not even supposed to be here so it's really not your place to say things like that. You don't even have any friends, no one talks to you and I think I know why.”

All of Sasuke's fangirls were glaring at me but I didn't care. They didn't even made it after that episode. 

“Perhaps but I just told out loud what everyone was thinking.” I deadpanned, more than annoyed with their reminder.

“Hey, enough already!” Iruka yelled. I was suddenly thankful of his appearance. But wait- Weren't Sasuke and Naruto supposed to accidentally kiss before he came? Holy shit! Did I stopped them from kissing with my outburst? Damn, I could already feel the disappointment of thousands of fangirls. “You go all sit down right now! Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura you're together. Ino, go sit with Yasuho! And I don't want to hear one single complaint.” Thankfully, they all went to their assigned places in silent. Iruka cleared his throat and smiled. “Starting from today, you are all ninjas. Well, you're still genins. The real work only just begins! You will be divided into teams of three. A jonin sensei will lead their own team.” 

“Huh?” Naruto, Sakura and Ino lifted their heads. 

“I wonder who will be in Sasuke-kun’s team” Ino taunted the pink-haired girl, hand under her chin. 

“We'll see.” Sakura sent a death glare at Ino. 

I sighed and tried to ignore her, Iruka said no complaints. 

Sasuke clicked his tongue. Dude, I feel you. 

I already knew about the team assignments and didn't care. I just hoped I would not be put on team 7 for my mental health. It was way too much anxiety and drama for me.

“To even out forces, we already formed teams.” Iruka took a paper and started reading from it. “Here are the teams.” He called six non-relevant to canon teams without saying my name. I started worrying. “Then, team seven.” my heart was pounding so much I thought it would escape from my ribcage. Please, don't say my name! “Uzumaki Naruto. Haruno Sakura.”

“Yatta!!” Naruto stood up, arms lifted towards the ceiling in pure joy. I was too busy trying to die of anxiety to really care about his outburst.

“Uchiha Sasuke.”

“Yatta!!!” It was Sakura’s turn to stand up and lift her arm towards the ceiling in pure joy. 

I sighed, relieved that I wasn't called on the team. Please, let's move on now. 

Naruto dropped his head in pure defeat making me chuckle lightly with relief. 

“I’m not done. This year and this year only we made an exception. There will be no three but four genin on team Seven! Finally, Tsuki Yasuho.” 

I talked too quickly. It was my turn to drop my head in defeat. So, I could never be happy? There was a clear will of shaming me in this universe. That was the last time I was hoping for something. God, I will have to deal with fucking Zabuza and Orochimaru. 

“Can't you be like Yasuho who seems to be the only one not attracted to Sasuke?” 

Huh? Why was Shikamaru talking about me. I lifted my head and glanced at him. I was confused and too engrossed with Orochimaru’s scenarios but answered nonetheless. “Damn right I’m not. Ew.” 

Ino scoffed. “But that's just because she's a freak! I’m sure she is attracted to Naruto then because who in her right mind wouldn't be attracted to Sasuke?!” 

I ignored her and turned back to stare at Iruka, hoping that he will start to burn alive with the intensity of my glare for putting me in team seven. Even though I was sure it was Hiruzen’s fault.

“Iruka-sensei!” Naruto, yelled, standing up and pointed Sasuke with his finger. “I’m your best student! Why am I with him?” 

“This year, it was Sasuke who had the best results. And you, you are the last, dobe! To even out forces in teams we're forced to do this. That's also why I had to add you, Yasuho, as an exception because you were second of the class right behind Sasuke. Sakura is still on the team since you completely failed to show up at kunoichi classes, making her the top kunoichi.” Yeah, it’s not as if I was meant to assort flowers, that class was pure bullshit on top of being sexist. 

“Try not to make too many mistakes, dobe.” You could always count on Sasuke with his kindness and nice words!

Naruto hissed. “Say that again?!”

“Do you wanna fight, dobe?”

“What?” 

Everyone in the class started laughing at Naruto. 

I said nothing even though I wanted to defend him. Sasuke could tell all the stupid things he wanted. I didn’t want to have a fight now that it was possible Kakashi was spying on us to see if we could make a good team. I wasn’t about to let him have a bad image of me. Sasuke wasn’t worth it, anyway.

“That’s enough now, Naruto!” Sakura yelled at her teammate, immediately taking Sasuke’s side. 

Iruka sighed, deciding to ignore the ordeal. “This afternoon, I will present you your jonin sensei. Until then, free time!” 

~~

I left the classroom as soon as possible. I’d have eaten with Naruto if it wasn’t for the fact that he’ll disguise as Sasuke to try to kiss Sakura just to be stopped by a stomach headache and I didn’t want to be there for that. 

Unfortunately I didn’t walk quick enough as Naruto started walking by my side. 

“Yasuho-chan! As we’re on the same team now, can we eat together?” His eyes were full of hope.

“No, I’m sorry Naruto I want to be alone right now. But I promise we’ll eat together later, alright?” I sent him a tight smile. I didn’t want to see his rejected face.

He rubbed his nape. “Ah, it’s alright! At least you were nicer than Sakura-chan..” the blonde-haired kid sent me a forced smile. 

“See ya!” I turned and left as quickly as humanly possible, feeling immensely guilty for rejecting him like this but it was for the good cause.

I joined a park and started eating an onigiri filled with salmon since I couldn’t go home as I remembered Kakashi and that damn Hokage ‘visiting’ our apartments. Fortunately, I tidied it before going to school and hid my books written in English and my natal language about the plot not to forget it. I was as good as dead is they discovered it. 

I ate peacefully wondering about what I could be doing if I was still in my universe. Probably watching a show with my cat or playing with my Playstation. I missed mainstream technology as it was poorly developed and limited to elite and high-ranked ninjas here. The things I would do to have my Iphone right now..

~~

“I don’t know why you made me come here, Sandaime Hokage” asked Kakashi as he smelled the weird food his (he hoped not and it wasn't because she looked like his old teammate) future student made herself for breakfast while trying to ignore the black and white cat purring against his leg (couldn't it feel that he was a dog person?) It wasn’t any known food. Did she like to invent meals? “You didn’t put her in my team just because she was second of the class, mh?”

Sarutobi Hiruzen sent him a knowing glance. “You already know why I put Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke with you. I put Tsuki Yasuho as a fourth member because of an exceptional circumstance. Did you know that we found her unconscious in a park with absolutely no memories of why? She wasn’t from Konoha nor any other villages. We tried to access her memories but it was locked, impossible to access. Even Yamanaka Inoichi has failed. She had no identity nor relatives so we gave her a new name. As she could be a spy and in the immediate request of the council, she had an ANBU squad watching her every moves. I pressed for her admission in the Academy to see how she would do and I wasn't disappointed. She is certainly a prodigy. But she isn't aware of it. Learning to become a shinobi and and be the top second rookie isn’t an easy feat in the slightest. Even Danzo has an eye on her.. This girl has many secrets. She knows things. I want you to keep an eye on her, Kakashi-kun.” 

The Hatake immediately straightened himself. “Hai, Hokage-sama.” 

“Of course, I trust you in keeping this S-rank secret all for yourself.” 

“Of course, Hokage-sama. But may I ask what I can do if I discover that she’s a spy?” 

The Hokage’s eyes darkened. “I’m afraid you would have to kill her as a spy and traitor. Let’s just hope we don’t have to come to that."

Kakashi glanced around her tiny apartment. It was all tidied up. The decoration seemed nice and added with white and purple painting she put on her walls she seemed like a mature person. The healthy cat still purring against his leg and the few plants here and there added with the drawings on the walls and the foreign dish meant that she was somewhat responsible, could easily manage herself and other living beings and had healthy hobbies outside of ninja life. She seemed like a good and interesting kid even though the content of her apartment wasn't enough to make his suspicions disappear. He looked at the affectionate cat and hoped deep inside that he wouldn't have to kill her.


	3. The Survival Test

“He’s late” Sakura complained. 

I chuckled internally, of course Kakashi was late. It was how the universe worked. An early Kakashi generally meant trouble like an Invasion or something. That man had so much PTSD he couldn’t help but adopt his thougth-to-be-dead friend’s bad habits and spend hours and hours talking to a stone. God, they really needed psychiatrists in this forsaken universe. Could have avoided a lot of trouble. 

But as of now, we already waited two whole hours for him and it was getting tiring real quick. Naruto was on the verge of jumping everywhere, lurking around the door. Sasuke was sat next to me being his broody-self but I could see that he wanted to get out. That’s what I’d do too if I didn’t know that our dear sensei will come at some point. I hoped. 

"Naruto! Stop moving!” the pink-haired girl reprimanded him.

"But, what’s he doing, team seven’s sensei, dattebeyo? The other teams already left with their new sensei, and Iruka-sensei ditched us!” Naruto turned toward Sakura and was tightening his fists. 

“I don’t know. Wait! What are you doing again?” Sakura blushed, seeing that Naruto was now preparing a prank. Even Sasuke turned his eyes away from the window to see what he was doing. 

Naruto snickered, sticking a chalkboard eraser between the door and the wall. “Latecomers only have themselves to blame, dattebayo.” the blonde boy jumped out of the chair.

Sakura stood in front of him, arms on her hips. “Grow up! I don’t wanna be get mixed up in this.” 

I shook my head, I knew very well that she liked pranks. She was only trying to impress Sasuke as he was a serious boy. 

Said boy clicked his tongue. “Hm. A jonin will not fall for this.” 

“He’s right! You’re really dumb, Naruto!” Sakura followed Sasuke’s line of thought and immediately started insulting Naruto only to stop as Kakashi’s hand appeared at the door. 

I snorted seeing the brush falling directly on silver hair. Kakashi was lucky his hair already matched the cray. 

Naruto ended a few seconds of silence by laughing as hard as he could seeing his prank’s success. “Hahaha! He fell for it!” 

I’d laugh with him too if I didn’t know the fact that Kakashi let himself get pranked to assess us and our reactions. I only sighed and shook my head, face blank of emotions in hope that he wouldn’t get the idea that it amused me. 

“Sorry, sensei.” Sakura immediately apologized, face red. “I tried to stop him but Naruto doesn’t listen to anything...” 

“What an hypocrite” I couldn’t help but whisper. Kakashi’s sudden glance at my direction told me that he heard me perfectly. Oopsie. 

Kakashi grabbed the table brush and stared at it. I could tell that he really didn’t wanna be here. “Mhhm. How to say it…” he put his hand on his chin, adopting a theatrical thinking pose. “My first impression of you is… I dislike you.” Yeah, thanks captain obvious. My teammates’ faces dropped. Why were they so sullen about this? Did they really think that pranking our sensei and then making fun of him will give him a good first impression? I sighed. You could tell they were really still kids. “Anyway, you have five minutes to get to the roof.” Kakashi disappeared in a shunshin, leaving leaves on the ground. 

I stood up and turned to leave but stopped seeing that they didn’t move. “What are you waiting for? We gotta go.” 

~~

Five minutes later, Sakura, Sasuke, Naruto and I were sat in the stairs in front of Kakashi who was sat on the fence. 

“Well… we will start with presentations.”

“Presentations? What do we have to say?” Sakura asked. 

Kakashi did a ‘I don’t know pose’ “What you like, what you dislike… Your dreams for the future, your hobbies… The usual.” he crossed his arms on his chest. 

I swallowed in nervousness, watching intently The Hatake Kakashi in front of me. I still couldn’t believe I was finally seeing my favorite person in this universe after two years. It kinda made me less depressed about the whole team seven situation.

“Ano sa, ano sa.. Could you maybe start by yourself?” Naruto proposed, confused by what Kakashi was asking of us. 

“By me?” Kakashi pointed at himself as if there was another man here. “My name is Hatake Kakashi.” his gaze was far away. He was probably weirded out by Minato’s son and a cheap version of Rin being in front of him. But he must be more troubled with Naruto. He was practically his father's clone physically-wise. “What I like or no is none of your business.” Naruto and Sakura made ‘huh’ sounds “Concerning my dreams for the future… I don’t have that many. Concerning my hobbies, they are diverse and varied.” he ended his extremely informative monologue by rolling his eyes to the sky in boredom. 

“All that we learned is his name..” Sakura frowned. 

“Hm.’ Naruto nodded in confirmation. 

“Not at all, Sakura.” I played with my brown hair. “He is a jonin. He’s not going to give informations about himself that freely when we barely know him and could sell his secrets to enemies. Learning his name was enough.” 

Sakura glared at me. “And what do you know!” 

I was about to respond when Kakashi cut me off. “She’s right.” I snapped my head toward him. He was studying me but I couldn’t guess what he was thinking with only a third of his face uncovered. Finally, his stare stopped as he returned looking at the others. “Come on! It’s your turn.” he nodded at me. “We start with you.”

It should be Naruto but as I was next to him on the exterior of the group I was the first to pass. I pinched my hand, overwhelmed by the stress of being in the spotlight. “I am Tsuki Yasuho. Uhh.. I like kind people, my cat Tobi and sushi. I dislike milk, being overwhelmed, bullies and egocentric and narcissistic people who can’t think about others. I don’t really have a dream.. I just want to be happy and not die without having truly lived. My hobbies are.. drawing, reading and sleeping. Also, I want to honor Uchiha Shisui’s title.. that’s it.” I rubbed my arm and stared at my shoes waiting for a comment. 

I suddenly felt Killer Intent which didn’t phase me at all rise on the other side of the stairs, turned my head and saw Sasuke glare at me. Ah, I should have kept the Shisui part for me. 

“Ok. Next!” Well, I’d rather get a comment than him not giving a fuck. I lifted my head to narrow my eyes on Kakashi but saw his gaze linger on me. What could he be thinking? I tried to have a general impression of his feelings but it only gave me mild-interest. 

Naruto kept swinging his hitae-ate to show that he was finally a ninja. “Well, I’m Uzumaki Naruto! I adore instant cup ramen. But I like more the ones at Ichiraku no ramen where Iruka-sensei and Yasuho-chan bring me sometimes! What I dislike is the waiting after pouring the boiling water. My hobby is comparing ramen cup! My dream for the future is to surpass all the Hokage! Then the whole village is going to have to recognize my worth!” I just witnessed history. It was heartwarming seeing Naruto being so passionate and sincere about his dream. 

Kakashi’s slightly widen eyes was his only show of emotion. “Hai. Next.” He must have had an Obito flashback. 

“My name is Haruno Sakura!” The pink-haired girl exclaimed in a high pitched voice. “What I like… Well.. The one I like is…” You didn’t need to look at her to know that she was staring at a stoic Sasuke. “As to my hobbies..” she shook her head. “And my dream for the future…” she glanced at Sasuke before letting out a horrid squeal. I hissed. Sakura was fucking unbearable at this age. 

"And then? What do you dislike?” Kakashi asked monotonously.

“Naruto and Yasuho.” Sakura deadpanned right away.

Naruto let out a cry.

I glared at Sakura. “What did I even do to you? I mean, I never talked to you before this morning. I should be the one disliking you with how you behave around Sasuke. Your squeals gave me the will to die. You'll remain a shame of a kunoichi until you get a hold on yourself.” I was being harsh but I needed her not to be useless this time around.

“Mahh, maah. Girls, let’s not start a fight now, will you?” Kakashi was now supporting his head with his hand. “Next!” 

I blushed, feeling ashamed of starting an argument with Sakura in front of Kakashi. Sakura was now scowling. 

Sasuke didn’t move from his typical Sasuke pose. “I’m Uchiha Sasuke. There’s a lot of things I dislike, but a few things I like.” our local emo suddenly released a wave of Killer Intent, the whole aura around him darkened. “My dream for the future… I’d keep it for myself. I rather have an objective. Restore _my_ family’s honor and kill a certain man.. No matter what!” he sent me a pointed glare at the Uchiha’s honor part. 

I witnessed history again! Poor Itachi. I glanced at Kakashi, trying to see his reaction and he looked absolutely bored out of his mind. That man really wished he was anywhere but here. I loved him. Sasuke’s declaration of murder was followed by a painful minute of silence. Everyone was looking at him in various degrees of emotions. Naruto was freaked out while Sakura was as attracted as ever, her face completely red. What was attracting in that speech?! Ew. I glanced at Kakashi. His eye was narrowed. 

“Yosh! These presentations were really interesting!” He couldn’t be more fake than that. “Tomorrow, we go on a mission.”

"Good!” Naruto exclaimed, happy in the prospection of going in his first mission. He smiled and did a salute. “What kind of mission we will have?” If only he knew.

Kakashi crossed his arms over his chest. “To start, we will do a little exercise.”

“Which one? Which one? Whiiiiich ooooone?!” Naruto eagerly asked. 

The silver-haired man narrowed his eye. “A survival test.” 

“A survival test?” Naruto was confused.

“What does this exercise mean? We should do missions! We did plenty of tests at the Academy!” Sakura complained.

“It’s not an ordinary test.”

“Well then, what is this test?” Naruto was so confused his eyes was tightly closed. 

I refrained from chuckling. I had so many memes of him doing this on my phone back then but it was better seeing it in real life. Kakashi, he, did chuckle at Sakura’s and Naruto’s confusion and naivete. I smirked. His evil chuckle was so cute! That was my life inspiration right there. 

"Tell me… What’s so funny, sensei?” Sakura frowned.

Kakashi laughed, his eye making the iconic reversed U form. “No, nothing. If I tell you, you will be upset.” 

“Uh?” This confused Naruto even more. 

“On the 28 students who graduated this year,” suddenly, Kakashi started releasing KI. Weird, it didn’t phase me at all. His face darkened, he had a hand posed on his face and all his previous humor was gone as if it was never there to begin with. “Only ten of them could become Genin. The 18 lasts will have to return to the Academy. In other words, it’s a hyper selective test with a failure rate superior to 66% !” I rolled my eyes, he could be so sadistic sometimes. Fortunately for me, I already know what he was talking about or else I could have had a panic attack. “What was I saying! Look at your faces!” 

“It's stupid! We worked our asses off! If I get it well, then this damn diploma is worth nothing, dattebayo?!” Naruto shouted in despair. 

“It's just to determine if the students have a chance of becoming Genin.”

“Naaaaniiii?!” Naruto cried. 

“Maah, I will judge tomorrow if, yes or no, you are selected! Bring your shinobi equipment. Meet me at the third training ground. We will leave at five in the morning!.” 

I rolled my eyes, already deciding to come at least at 8. I glanced at my teammates, they were all disturbed by Kakashi’s announcement. Naruto and Sakura were completely shaking and the only sign of stress coming from Sasuke was the shaking of his hands. I sighed feeling glad that I knew what will happen so I wasn't stressed more than usual. I just had to go with the flow. It wasn't like Kakashi was authorized not to pass us. Me being here couldn't change that. 

“Ja ne, end of the reunion.” Kakashi turned his back to us before turning his head. “Ah, I forgot. Avoid breakfast. Or you will throw up.” he finished with a shunshin and disappeared. 

I smirked knowing very well that he was messing with us. I will eat one hell of a breakfast tomorrow morning. It has been a while since I ate pain perdu.

I suddenly remembered that I promised Naruto to go eat with him. "Ne, Naruto? How about we go eat ramen tonight?" I put my hand on his shoulder as he was about to leave just like Sakura and Sasuke did. 

He turned and jumped in my arms. "Yes! Can we go now? I'm hungry." He sent me a smile that could compete against the sun as he hugged me. 

I smiled back at him and hesitantly completed the hug. I hated physical contact but Naruto was the only person I couldn't reject. "Of course!"

He ended the hug and grabbed my arm, dragging me toward the exit of the roof. "Ano sa.. Yasuho-chan." He glanced at me sheepishly. I hummed in question, inviting him to continue. "I'm really glad you're on my team. Even though we don't talk a lot you're always here for me and you were my first friend ever." 

I sucked in a breath. "You.. really consider me like your friend?"

He stopped walking but he was still grabbing my arm. The boy was now blushing. "Of course! Huh, I mean.. If you want to. It's okay if you don't because you know not a lot of people like me and.."

I cut off his rant. "Of course I like you, dumbass! Or else I wouldn't eat ramen with you." I sighed. "I'm glad you're on my team too and I'm more glad and happy to be the first friend of our future Hokage!" I grinned at him. This made me really happy. I hoped to be considered as his friends since I started talking to him two years ago but I was afraid it wasn't enough. 

"Yatta! I made my first friend, dattebayo!" Naruto screamed in joy as he started to walk toward Ichiraku in a quick pace. I couldn't help but laugh with him. Now that I was on his team I wouldn't be threatened to go to T and I or even get sentenced to death for hanging out with the jinchuriki. I could finally be his friend. I hoped he will be less lonely now.

~~

“Hi!” I finally joined my teammates. I was so late I thought even Kakashi would be here but he wasn't even there. It was barely eleven o'clock and I was fully energized, having well slept and ate. 

“Where were you?!” Tired Naruto and Sakura yelled at the same time. Sasuke glared at me.

"You were supposed to be here at five like everyone else!” Naruto cried. 

“Well, sorry but seeing sensei coming so late yesterday made me realize that he will do it again so I decided to get some sleep. I’m full of energy now.” I rubbed my head sheepishly. I should have perhaps warned them at least. 

Naruto didn't have time to answer as Kakashi suddenly appeared in front of us. “Hi, kids! Are you in good shape?” the silver-haired man made a peace sign. 

“You're late!” Naruto and Sakura yelled again at the same time. 

“Ya. A black and white cat crossed the street just in front of me.” Kakashi sent us an eye smile while he pointed his fingers towards the exit of the training site. I narrowed my eyes in suspicion at the mention of my cat but quickly smiled. Kakashi, your inner Obito was showing. Naruto and Sakura growled at his fake excuse. Kakashi cleared his throat. “Mah, let's move on.” he walked towards a tree trunk and set off an alarm. “Yosh! It will ring at noon sharp!” 

“Hm?” Sakura and Naruto blinked. 

Kakashi was now holding the infamous bells. He had three of them instead of two “Today’s test. Steal before noon the three bells I am holding.” he shook them to put emphasis. “The one who will fail will be exempted from lunch!” 

“Huh?” Sakura gasped. 

Ah, that's right they didn't eat anything since yesterday. I slightly felt guilty, I really should have warned them at least for that but I completely forgot. I was being counterproductive. 

“They will be tied up to one of the trunks and I will eat my bento right before their nose.” 

Right on cue, Sasuke’s, Naruto’s and Sakura’s stomachs cried in famine. I cringed. 

“Wait a minute! Why just three bells?” 

Kakashi snickered, eye smiling with anything but humor. “It’s so there will be at least one who will skip lunch. Having failed the test, they will be rejected… and will return to the Academy.” he shook the bells again. “It will be that case for one, or all the four of you. You have the right to use shurikens. You have to be willing to kill me to have them.” the bells disappeared in his hands only to appear attached at his pouch.. 

“But it’s dangerous, Sensei!” Sakura cried. 

I scoffed. “As if mere genins would be able to kill a jonin. We’re the only ones in danger, Sakura.”

“Sakura is right!” Naruto laughed, arms behind his head. “Remember my prank!” 

“The useless ones… It’s always those who talk for nothing… Yasuho is right but well… Let's let the dead last wander.” Naruto quickly lost his smile. “Mah, at my signal, start.” 

Naruto growled and took a kunai out of his pouch. He screamed in rage and ran toward the jonin, attacking him. Kakashi quickly disappeared and reappeared behind the boy grabbing his hand and pointing the boy's kunai at his neck, hand grabbing his hair. Sakura gasped and Sasuke’s jaw was wide open. I internally whistled, it was still dope seeing people disappear and appear in the blink of an eye. I couldn’t wait to do that.

“Don’t get mad like this… I didn't give the signal yet.” 

Naruto panted, glaring at our sensei. Sasuke and Sakura stepped backward as Kakashi finally released his sensei’s son. Sasuke and Sasuke were both shocked at Kakashi’s small display of force. He wasn't a jonin and future Hokage for nothing. He was on a whole another level. 

“Mah, at least… you seemed ready to skin me off, that's good..” Kakashi chuckled. “I think that I start to like you.” We all blushed at this. Even Sasuke was blushing and pouting! “Let's go! Ready..” we all got in position to move. “Start!” 

We fled in the blink of an eye. 

~~

I coated chakra at my feet and hid in a tree, not far away from Sasuke's bush so I could have a good view of what was happening. Kakashi stood up alone near the alarm without moving and it lasted a few minutes until Naruto’s sudden loud apparition in front of him. 

“Mah! It’s time for the match to begin!” Naruto shouted. 

I shook my head, that was typical Naruto.

“Ano sa.. I have the impression that you’re out of your mind…” Kakashi deadpanned. 

“It’s your hairstyle that’s out of its mind!” Naruto let out a battle cry and started running in Kakashi’s direction. 

Kakashi stared at him blankly while putting a hand in his pouch. Holy shit, he was about to take his book! Naruto suddenly stopped running. “Martial art shinobi, the first lesson. Taijutsu. The art of the trained body.” Kakashi took his infamous orange book in the most dramatic way possible. I sighed, Icha-icha paradise was such a good book I’d do the same if I was still in a body old enough to read it. Not that I read it though.. But being able to only transform into my old self had some perks. “Well, then? Hurry up and attack me!”

“But… Ano sa! Ano sa! What’s the book for?!” 

“What’s it for? Well, I couldn’t wait to read what’s next.” The Hatake was already nose deep in his book. “But don’t worry… I can deal with you while continuing to read.”

Naruto tightened his fist. “I’ll cut you into pieces!” he screamed. Who said that Naruto wasn’t a violent person? He jumped while letting a battle cry and tried to punch Kakashi only to be stopped. “Asshole! Backspin kick!” Kakashi lowered in a squat, avoiding said kick. Naruto jumped at him again going for another punch. 

Kakashi disappeared and reappeared in a squat position, right behind Naruto. “Huh?” 

Oh no, he was doing the tiger seal, book between his palms. “A ninja should always watch his back, baka.” 

Oh hell, no. I wasn’t about to let THAT happen. I narrowed my eyes. Why did Kakashi even thought that it was authorized to do this? People were thrown in jail for less than that in my universe, and as they should. I needed to do something quick. 

“Naruto! Run away quick! You will be massacred!” Sakura warned him before I could do something, but it was useless. 

“Huh?” Naruto looked at her, confused. 

“Too la-” Kakashi didn’t have the time to finish his death sentence, seeing me jump out of the tree. I ran towards them and pushed Naruto to the floor, out of Kakashi’s range of attack. I tried to take advantage of the fact that Kakashi was too stunned to take the bells but he quickly reacted and grabbed my wrist. “Oh, so we have a hero on this team. Why did you try to save him? You didn’t even know what I was about to do.” 

Yeah, right. “I just couldn’t let you attack him like that, sensei. It wasn’t right.” I hissed. 

“Oh.. but letting your comrades not sleep and starved without warning them was right?” he did an eye-smile full of malice. Shit, I felt even more guilty now. “Anyway, taking advantage of the situation to take the bells was good but it was poorly done.” he released my wrist. “Try to attack me now.” he turned back to reading his book. 

“I don’t think so. Perhaps later.” I did a peace sign and ran away from him, grabbing Naruto with me and leaving a shocked Kakashi behind us. I took us to a tree and put my hand to cover Naruto’s mouth. Well, fuck going with the flow, I guess. “Shh. Don’t say a thing and hear me out or else he’ll attack us again.” Naruto growled underneath my hand. “We need to have a plan and regroup with the others or else we’ll never get those damn bells, do you understand?” Naruto nodded reluctantly. “Alright, now I’m going to take my hand off so don’t make a sound or I’ll knock you out.” 

Naruto nodded again. I took my hand off and sighed. It looked like I couldn’t simply let things go like it was intended to do now that I was here. 

“What are you doing? I remind you that without bells before noon, you can say bye-bye to your lunch! But then it’s not like Yasuho-chan right there will mind, huh? Naruto, you’re a weakling for someone who wants to surpass all the Hokage.”

I cringed at Kakashi’s verbal attack. Naruto’s stomach growled next to me and he suddenly jumped off of the tree, completely leaving me. Well, if he decided to be stubborn like that who was I to stop him from getting humiliated again. 

“Kuso! Kuso! I can fight no matter how hungry I am. And I’m not about to run away like a coward to make some plan when I can give all I have to get those bells, dattebayo! No matter what.. I refuse.. Yes, I refuse.. to give up so near the goal! I want to become a ninja!” Naruto made the seal for his infamous technique and seven kage bunshin appeared. 

I blinked seeing them all ran straight toward Kakashi who has stopped reading. It was really weird seeing all of those Naruto at the same time and we couldn’t even tell where the real Naruto was!

“Hm?”

"Hey, hey! You dropped your guard! Here’s my secret technique! Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, dattebayo!” one of the clones shouted.

Kakashi’s eye slightly widened. He was murmuring something but I couldn’t hear him from where I was. The clones stopped in front of him with a smug on each of their faces. “Your abilities don’t allow you from keeping this jutsu more than a minute…” Naruto’s clones started attacking him. “Bragging and boastfulness are one thing, fighting is another one… It’s not with that jutsu that you’re going to win. You should have tried to listen to that plan Yasuho was talking about.” he said in a monotonous voice. The bells shook, the real Naruto appeared right beside him, on his back. “What?! Behind me?” Kakashi turned his head, eye wide.

Naruto snickered. “A ninja should never get caught from behind.” I snorted, he was the one to talk. “Am I right, Kakashi-sensei, -ttebayo?” Six of the clones grabbed his legs, stopping him from moving. The last one jumped in the air to attack him. “I used Kage Bunshin to get your attention away from the real me so that I could attack you from behind, dattebayo! I’m going to flatten you!” the attacking clone punched Kakashi only to punch one of the other clones. Kakashi did a kawarimi, the technique of permutation, swapping himself with another clone right before getting punched. “What?” Naruto asked, seeing what happened. 

“Ouuch!” the punched clone and the one supporting him cried as they fell on the ground. 

"You are.. You are Kakashi-sensei, aren’t ya?” Naruto yelled, now angry, at his clone, not getting that Kakashi did a kawarimi. “You did a henge, huh?” 

He punched his clone and all of them started fighting each other. 

“It’s you!”

“No! It’s you!”

“You smell just like Kakashi-sensei!” 

“Yeah, same!” 

“It’s smells like old people!” 

“Yeah, old people!” 

“Ano sa, we just have to cancel the kage bunshin. Like that, we’re immediately fixed.” 

“You could have thought about it earlier, baka!”

“Me, a baka? Baka!” 

“Enough! Stop it!” 

All of the clones disappeared leaving a single and lonely beaten-up Naruto. I blinked. I swore his clones were the representation of his cells or something. I couldn’t wait for him to grow up and get.. smarter than that with his technique.

Naruto was now letting small whines of defeat. He quickly stopped and dropped his jaw seeing something on the floor. I squinted my eyes. That was a bell! Damn, he was going to get trapped! 

“Naruto! Don’t take it that’s a trap!” I yelled as he ran toward the bell.

Said boy completely ignored me, blinded by the prospect of getting the bell and tried to grab it nonetheless. As soon as he lowered his hand, a rope tied itself around his feet, hanging him upside down. 

“What is that?!” he screamed. 

“Dumbass! I tried to warn you but you didn’t listen!” I shouted, exasperated. 

“But the bell!” the blue-eyed boy yelled, still trying to grab it from where he was hanging. 

Kakashi appeared in front of him, taking the bell back. “Think well before using a jutsu.. if you don’t want it turning against you! And then” he shook the bell in his hand, eye smiling at Naruto. “Avoid getting into traps so obvious. You were even warned, baka.” Naruto made a screech at that, still wiggling from his trap. ”A ninja must act with discernment! Always see underneath the underneath.”

“Yeah, I already know all of these things, dattebayo!”

“Precisely, it doesn’t look like it. Hence my remark, got it?” Kakashi taunted him. “You do too many useless moves.”

Suddenly, kunais and shurikens were launched from where Sasuke was hiding. He must have thought that Kakashi dropped his guard. Jonin ninjas never dropped their guards, you had to stay alert 24/7 if you wanted to not die uselessly. 

“Wahhh!! In the head” Naruto screamed, wiggling his arms in shock when he saw ‘Kakashi’ get killed. “You’re crazy, Sasuke! It was overkill!

I sighed as I saw ‘Kakashi’ fall, head, neck and torso stabbed with many kunai and shurikens. He liked to mess with us way too much. 


	4. We failed?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Sorry for the late update this whole coronavirus situation really stressed me out and I couldn't find it in myself to write until recently. We're going through rough times right now and I hope to all of you reading this that you're okay and safe! 
> 
> I also wanted to warn those who read the first chapters when I first published them that I added more details, a physical description of Yasuho and did the choice to not make her a developed sensor. It made sense at first but I don't want her to have too many abilities and turn her into a mary sue so she'll have to go through her journey without being able to sense where people are with their chakra. It will make me happy if you can go read the second chapter again to see what I added, thanks!

‘Kakashi’ fell on the floor only to disappear and reveal a log full of Sasuke’s weapons in his stance.

I heard branches cracking and leaves rustling, Sasuke was running away now that Kakashi was aware of his position. A few seconds later, Sakura’s horrid scream erupted from somewhere in the forest. I winced as I remember what kind of Genjutsu Kakashi trapped her in. Suddenly, bells were heard right beside me. I turned and saw Kakashi. 

“Second lesson of the shinobi martial art. Genjutsu!” 

I felt my heart drop as Kakashi disappeared in leaves, I was already caught in the Genjutsu. I looked around me in wonder. My foreign chakra always made me immediately aware of someone’s chakra infiltrating my mind. That’s why I graded so good in Genjutsu. I always know when I’m trapped in one and I can leave them whenever I want to. Obviously, I knew that I was in a Genjutsu but I was curious as to what could be my most nightmarish vision. 

“Come with us.. sweetie.. we miss you… return to us or we’ll die.” I turned and saw my parents crawling on the ground, half burned to death. 

Ok, bye. “Kai.” I shouted, canceling the Genjutsu. I shivered, perhaps it wasn't a good idea to see what was the Genjutsu. 

I blinked, now freed of the Genjutsu. I’ll prank Kakashi for that. Too bad the sadistic bastard already left. I turned toward the clearing.  Seeing Naruto alone, I jumped off of the tree and joined him to set him free now that Kakashi was away. 

“Always see underneath the underneath, my ass!” Naruto yelled as I cut the rope around his feet. He did a back-flip and landed swiftly. ”He will not get me a second time!” He smiled at me before getting caught in a second rope again. “I can’t believe it! He got me again, dattebayo!” He screamed. 

I groaned in pure annoyance, cutting the second rope. I was getting tired of this real quick. 

“Hey, I saw bentos on that stone behind the logs when I was tied up. ‘A ninja should always see underneath the underneath.’ Let's go find out what they're made of!” the blonde boy snickered. 

I tried to protest but he was already gone. The only thing I could do was follow my friend in hope to stop him from eating them in time. Sasuke's scream of terror was heard far away as I joined Naruto in front of the stele. 

He was sitting on it, bentos on his knees. “Hehe! Why bothering with chasing bells?” he snickered. “We just have to eat and stay hidden, Yasuho-chan!” he rubbed his hands together and tried to give me a bento. 

“No thanks.” I refused, shaking my head. “Naruto, you shouldn't eat other's lunches. It's probably another trap.” I pointed out, hands on my hips. 

Naruto snickered. “You're probably right but I’m so hungry I really don't care.” he snickered again, still rubbing his hands. “I’m going to enjoy this, dattebayo!” 

“Oi.” Kakashi appeared on top of the stone. 

I flinched, still not used to his sudden apparitions. “See. What did I tell you, Naruto.” I shook my head. 

Naruto's face depleted. “I was just kidding..” 

“Tell that to yourself!” Kakashi reprimanded him. The alarm set earlier by Kakashi rang. It was already noon. “Well, it's too late. Guess who's gonna end up tied to these logs?” Kakashi eye smiled at us. 

Wait. Naruto was the only one supposed to be tied up. “Oi. Why am I going to get tied up. I didn't do anything!” I panicked. 

Kakashi’s eye smile at my direction meant anything but humor. “That's exactly why. Come on, now.” 

~~~~

Ten minutes later, both Naruto and I were tied up to the logs with Sakura and Sasuke sat next us and the bentos in front of us. Their famished stomachs were now growling without stopping. 

“Oh, oh, your stomachs are making one hell of a racket! Anyway, enough of this. Concerning your test… Maah.. I think that no one of you all need to return to the ninja Academy.”

Naruto exclaimed in wonder at the false hope given by Kakashi. 

“Huh? The only thing I did was faint… I still passed?” Sakura naively asked, making me sigh. 

“Hm.” thus spoke the great Uchiha Sasuke.

Sakura jumped in joy. “Yes!!” 

I was the only one who didn't react, knowing what Kakashi was about to say. 

“Awesome! So the four of us, we..” 

Kakashi cut Naruto off. He was now making his infamous fake eye smile. “Yes, the four of you.. renonce to be ninjas!” he shouted the end of his sentence, stopping Naruto’s and Sakura’s cries of joy. 

“Renounce to be ninjas? What does it mean?!” Naruto was wiggling his legs in panic. “Alright, we couldn't steal the bells from you but it's not a reason to tell us that we failed!” he yelled. 

Kakashi blankly stared at him, hands on his hips. “Not a single one of you has what it takes to become a true ninja. You're jokes, gaki.”

Sasuke clicked his tongue and launched an attack at the silver-haired man, denying the idea that he could fail. 

“Sasuke-kun!” Sakura screamed, making me hiss in pain for my poor ears. 

Kakashi grabbed the Uchiha’s arm and pushed him on the ground, pinning him as he was now sitting on his back with his foot posed on top of the black-haired head in a clear sign of disrespect. “What was I saying… you're jokes, gaki!”

Sasuke hissed in pain. 

“You have no right to trample Sasuke-kun!” Sakura screamed again making me sigh. 

“You think that it's so easy to become a ninja, huh?” Kakashi asked in a deep and low threatening voice. I internally scoffed, of course not. “We divided you into teams to do this test. Why, do you think?” 

“Huh. What do you mean?” asked Sakura. 

“In one word… The necessary mentality to pass this test has escaped you!” 

“The mentality?” asked a more than confused Naruto. 

“Exactly. Without it, you cannot pass the test.”

“Tell us what is it then, this mentality!” ordered Sakura. 

“I’m hallucinating! Are you born without any brain?! ‘By team of three’, or four in your case, do you know what it means?”

Naruto groaned. “Enough! Answer already, dattebayo!” 

“It is teamwork.” Kakashi glared at us darkly. 

“You’re talking about collaboration?” asked a stunned Sakura.

“Exactly. But it’s a little late to realize it. You might have caught them by attacking me together.” Kakashi narrowed his eye at me. “It seemed only one of you got it seeing Yasuho’s reactions during the test and her face right now but she did nothing about it. Mah, it’s still a shame.”

“How can we work together when there’s only three bells? The efforts of one of us would not have been rewarded. It would have ended in a fight.” Sakura exclaimed.

“Obviously! But I think Yasuho-chan here can explain, hm?”

I cleared my throat, nervous about the attention being on me. “Ahem. This test was created to cause dissension among us?” I ignored Naruto’s what. “It was to see if we could put aside our personal interests in order to put teamwork first.” I finished in a shaky breath.

“That was the aim of the test.” Kakashi continued. “And we can’t say that you had been brilliant. Yasuho! You didn’t warn your teammates about the fact that you needed to take a breakfast and let them starve. You did absolutely nothing during the test except thinking about helping Naruto, ignoring your other teammates. I recognize you guessed the true purpose of this test and tried convincing Naruto but you didn’t try enough! You could have again went and tell it to the others but you forgot about it as soon as Naruto refused. You let your team fail willingly without trying because you didn’t care enough. Finally, running away with Naruto was smart of you but at the end turning your back at a trained ninja just to run away was stupid and coward of you.” 

Ouch. His remark stung more than it should but Kakashi was right. “I’m sorry..” I apologized, feeling completely ashamed. I felt tears in my eyes. Last thing I wanted was making Hatake Kakashi angry.

“Sakura!” Kakashi ignored my apologies. “Instead of doing something like helping Naruto and Yasuho, you were only worrying about Sasuke. Naruto! You ran straight-ahead without even thinking about Yasuho’s warnings. You completely ignored her when she told you about the true purpose of the test. And as for you,” Kakashi pushed Sasuke’s grimacing head in the ground with his foot “You thought those three would get in your way and played solo! A mission is carried out as a team! Of course, a ninja has to have individual qualities but teamwork passes before anything else. By neglecting teamwork, you put your comrades in danger and play with their lives! A bit like that-” Kakashi took a kunai out of his pouch and pointed the sharp edge at Sasuke’s unprotected neck. “Sakura! Kill Naruto and Yasuho! Or else Sasuke dies!” Sasuke and Sakura gasped. “You see what would happen…” Kakashi took off his kunai. 

Sakura sighed in relief. “I was so scared..” 

Kakashi started playing with the kunai “You only need one hostage to make the others stuck and everybody die.” he hid the kunai in his pouch and stood up, getting off of Sasuke. “A ninja risks their life during each of their missions.” he walked towards the Memorial Stone. “Look at this stèle. Do you see all the names carved in it? Those are the names of the ninjas considered as heroes of the village.” 

I closed my eyes and thought about Obito. His name was on it while he was anything but a hero of Konoha right now. That was kinda sad. 

“Well! Well! Well! It's decided! One day, I will have my name written on this stone, too! A hero! I will become a great hero!” Naruto proclaimed. 

I sighed. While I didn’t need to doubt about him becoming a hero, his proclamation was rather arrogant. 

Kakashi slightly turned his head to glance at him, keeping his body in front of the stone. “But those ones are not basic heroes.”

“Eeeh? What do they have of special, dattebayo?!” Kakashi kept silent, probably thinking about Obito and Rin. “Ne, ne! Tell us!” 

“They all died in the field of honor.” Kakashi answer curtly. 

“In the field of what?” 

“They all died in the war or in missions for Konoha, Naruto.” I sighed. “You don't want that so stop.” 

Naruto let out a shocked noise and dropped his smile. At least he had the decency of being ashamed. 

“This stèle is in their memory. Some of them were very dear friends of mine.” Kakashi stared at the stone. My heart clenched. Poor Kakashi, he was grieving for Obito over nothing.. It was in one of these moments that I wanted to tell them the whole truth. Obviously, I couldn't for obvious and selfish reasons like not ending in jail, an asylum or getting killed so I looked around me. I hoped Obito was busy and not spying on Kakashi and us. He now had a reason to know that I existed and I didn't want him to see what wasn't one of my proudest moments. “Listen! I leave you a last chance!” Kakashi turned towards us. “It will be just harder to take the bells from me! Eat your bento. But be careful! Give nothing to Naruto and Yasuho.” Naruto groaned. “It's Naruto’s punition for having tried to eat in secret and Yasuho’s for letting him and not warning you. The one who will disobey will be eliminated right away!” Kakashi threatened us. “I make the rules here. Understood?” he sent us a dark glare before disappearing. 

“I’m not even hungry, anyway..” I lamely retorted to the space of air where Kakashi used to stand. 

Sakura and Sasuke immediately started to eat in silence. The only noise filling the air was Naruto’s stomach’s cries for food. A few minutes passed before said boy started yelling. 

“I don't care if I eat or not, dattebayo! There's no problem! I’m not even hungry!” his stomach betrayed him right after his declaration. His face dropped. “No problem…” 

I kept glancing at Sakura and Sasuke as they stared at him. “Please, give him food already or he'll end up in the hospital.” I begged, feeling kinda worried for the jinchuuriki. 

Sasuke extended his bento to Naruto. “Take it.” 

“Wait, Sasuke-kun! Don't listen to her! Didn't you hear Kakashi-sensei?” Sakura looked around her in panic. 

“We don't care! Naruto cant fight if he's about to faint, Sakura.” I frowned at her. 

“Hm. Don't worry, I can't feel his presence.” Sasuke frowned at his bento. “This afternoon, we’ll take his bells. Yasuho’s right, Naruto will cause us trouble if he has an empty stomach.” 

I lightly smiled at Sasuke’s naivety. Kakashi was a jonin, of course he couldn't feel his presence. I knew for a fact he was currently behind some tree, spying on us and thinking about his old team.  I heard Sakura swallow. She extended her bento toward Naruto and I, smiling. 

Naruto started crying, touched by her act of kindness. “Thank you..” 

“It's okay. Eat fast. Yasuho, you too.” 

I would be shaking my hands in a no gesture if I could move my arms. “No thank you, really. I’m not hungry. Naruto deserves this more than I.” 

“But I can’t.” Naruto tried to refuse. 

“Don't worry about me!” Sakura retorted. 

“But, look..” Naruto showed that he couldn't move his hands to eat making Sakura angry at having to feed him by her hand.

“Hurry up! He can come back anytime.” Sasuke warned Sakura. 

“It's just for this time.” Sakura said shortly. “Alright? I hope you understand!” She yelled. A few veins were popping on her forehead. 

“Yes, don't worry dattebayo!” Naruto teased her, now smiling. 

Sakura made him eat a bowl of rice. His eagerness made her more annoyed. All of a sudden, an enormous puff of smoke and violent winds appeared in front of us. 

“You fools!” hurled Kakashi, glaring murderously at us. Naruto and Sakura screamed in terror. Sasuke prepared to attack and I simply stared at Kakashi knowing that we weren't in true danger. I coughed as a few strands of hair got in my mouth. “You disobeyed me. Prepare for your punishment.” Kakashi made a few seals. Black and thick clouds of storm suddenly appeared out of nowhere due to his jutsu above us. I flinched as a lightning bolt struck the ground. “Any last words?” The ground was now rumbling. I heard Sakura whimper. 

“B-but.” Naruto’s teeth were shaking in terror. 

“Mhm?”

“But… But! Sensei! Remember your words, dattebayo! That's why they…” Naruto yelled before being cut off by Sasuke. 

“We’re a team, right?” 

Sakura stopped shaking like a leaf magically. “Yes! We are all one!” she yelled at Kakashi. 

“What they said.” I lightly smiled at Kakashi who was still keeping his mudra performing the genjutsu knowing that we weren't threatened. I wasn't even needed here for them to pass so what could I do more?

Naruto looked between all of us and screamed. “It's right! They're all right, dattebayo!” 

“Are you all one?” Kakashi walked towards us menacingly. He stopped a few feet in front of us and crouched, looking at us one by one in the eyes as if to assess us. Suddenly, he made an eye smile and shouted enthusiastically “You all passed!” 

“Huh?” Sakura and Naruto gasped. 

“Knew it!” I couldn't help but smile, now certain that my presence at least didn't fuck this part of canon. It was also nice seeing Kakashi smile sincerely at us. Even the storm was now disappearing as quick as it appeared. 

“You all passed..” Kakashi repeated softly seeing Naruto’s and Sakura’s confusion. 

“We passed? How is that?!” asked Sakura. 

“You are the first ones admitted by me. Until today I only had idiots who were blindly obeying me. A ninja has to always see underneath the underneath. In the shinobi world, those who break the rules are trash. But…” Kakashi stared dramatically at the sky thinking about Obito’s infamous motto. “those who abandon their companions.. are worse than trash!” 

I grinned. That was history right there. I glanced at Naruto seeing him cry, completely touched by the words of a past Obito. The man who would have become like him but had everything wrong happened to him in his life. And now the boy beside me will take these words to heart and change the world with them. 

“That's.. kinda cool..” the blonde-haired boy was blushing and crying at the same time. He was completely staring at Kakashi as if the man was Captain America.

“The test is over! You all passed! From tomorrow, Team seven will go on missions!” Kakashi channeled his inner guy and did an enthusiastic thumb-up pose while shouting making me shiver. He shouldn't do that. That was wrong. It was like seeing Guy walk everywhere with a porn in hand. 

“Hai!” Sakura happily shouted back. 

A now joyfully whipping Naruto shouted in turn “Yatta! I passed, dattebayo! I am a ninja! A real ninja!” 

“Never thought I'd be here.” I murmured to myself, grinning. Coming from another world where ninjas didn't exist, I could have never imagined being here and becoming a real ninja. I wanted to be an english teacher at the beginning but well, you never know where life brings you. 

Kakashi glanced at me before untying me. “Come on, let's go.” he turned without saying anything else and started walking towards the exit of the training site. 

Sasuke and an eager Sakura followed him right after without even looking at Naruto and I. 

Naruto started screaming. “Here we go! I was sure it’ll end us like that, dattebayo!” he shook his legs angrily. “Untie me, dattebayo!” 

I rolled my eyes. I was tempted leaving him alone just so I could get away from his screaming but thought otherwise feeling guilty leaving him alone. “Shut up, dumbass. I’m still here, you're not alone. Stop screaming and I’ll untie you.” I crossed my arms over my already developing chest. 

Naruto’s mood made an U-turn. “Ahh, Yasuho-chan! Sorry, I didn't see you!” Well, great. “Hehe.. can you untie me now please!” he blushed. 

I rolled my eyes a second time. “I’m gonna act as if I never heard that, untie you and leave immediately.” I teased him and went to fulfill my prophecy. I took a kunai and cut the rope, freeing him. “Come on, let's go!” I made a peace sign at him and started following the rest of the group leaving a stunned Naruto in place. 

“Oi, wait for me dattebayo!” 

~~~ 

“Over here. Take a pose and don't move.” 

We were now in front of the official photographer for the team pictures. I grinned. Team 7’s picture was so iconic! I couldn't believe I was about to be a part of it. 

“I don't want to pose next to such a show off, dattebayo!” Naruto exclaimed, pointing his finger at Sasuke. 

Kakashi and I could only rub our head, embarrassed of Naruto’s antics in front of the photographer. 

Sakura ignored him, too busy trying poses for the picture. 

“And so am I with an usuratonkatchi.” 

“What did you call me?” Naruto tightened his fist at the Uchiha. 

“Maah, maah. Are you done? Team’s picture is obligatory.” Kakashi put his hands on both of the boy’s heads and brought them close to Sakura’s. 

As I was taller than the three, I was simply standing between Sakura and Kakashi with them sandwiching me. Kakashi put his head on top of mine. I refrained a blush, reinstalled my hitae-ate correctly on my forehead, put my arms around Naruto’s and Sasuke’s shoulders and did a peace sign with both of my hands. I had a huge grin on my face as the photographer took the picture of us. 

I smiled seeing the iconic picture with a beaming Kakashi, a frowning Sasuke, a blushing/squealing Sakura and a glaring Naruto by my sides. Perhaps it wasn't so bad being with them. 


	5. In The Land of Waves

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer that I completely forgot to put in the previous chapters : I don't own Naruto nor anything in this fic beside Yasuho! If I did own Naruto I wouldn't have make his childhood miserable and all the characters would be forced to go to therapy.

“Here’s Sasuke. I am in point B.”

“Here's Yasuho. I’m in point D.”

“Here's Sakura. I am in point C.”

“Naruto. I’m in point A, dattebayo.”

“You're late, Naruto…” Kakashi's voice spoke through the transmitter. “Yosh, Team Seven…” Kakashi made a surprised noise. “The target is moving. Catch it!” 

I slowly got out of behind the tree and saw my teammates do the same as the target passed in front of us. 

“Yosh. We located it.” Naruto told Kakashi as we swiftly switched to hid behind the trees a few meters in front of us. 

“What's the distance from the target?” Kakashi asked. 

“5 meters. It's whenever you want, dattebayo!” Naruto whispered, for once. 

“I’m in position.” Sasuke and I said at the same time. He turned to glare at a stunned me and went back in position. 

“Me too.” Sakura added awkwardly. 

“Yosh.” A moment of silence passed before Kakashi gave the signal to catch the target. 

When he did, we immediately jumped in action. Naruto let out a battle cry as he literally jumped in the air and caught the infamous cat in his arms. 

“I got it!” he screamed while the cat started scratching his face. 

I smiled at the cat.

“Does he have a ribbon on his right ear? Is it Tora?”

“Yup and yup, Kakashi-sensei.” I answered, nodding in the air as if the man could see me. 

“Yosh. Operation ‘let’s find the cat’ is over.” 

“Can't we have missions a little bit more interesting?” Naruto yelled into his microphone. I winced in pain. I was probably sure I lost half of my hearing thanks to him. 

“Naruto!” I shouted, not forgetting to put my hand on my mic to not destroy the other’s ears. Naruto did enough damage. “Don't scream into the mic, goddammit.” 

“Ah, ah. Sorry, Yasuho-chan! Ouch!” he yelled as the cat started attacking him again. 

I walked toward him and took the cat in my arms. Strangely, Tora did nothing and started purring as I patted him. “Good cat, you punished him for destroying our ears. You'll get a good treat.” I sweetly smiled at the cat, ignoring the shocked silence and faces of my teammates in front of such a powerful display. “Look, that's how you hold and treat a cat, you dumbass. There's not even a scratch.” I grinned at them as I was scratching the cat’s chin. I was so happy of holding a cat I could smile at anybody. I fucking loved cat. “Now, let's join Kakashi-sensei.” I made cute noises at the cat as I left my stunned teammates. 

I couldn't help but laugh at Kakashi's flabbergasted face when he saw me holding a peaceful and purring Tora. 

He sighed and face-palmed. "I think we could have used this knowledge two hours ago, Yasuho." 

I smirked at him. "I can't help if I adore cats and they like me back."

He sent me an eye smile that made me gulp in panic. What did I do? "You don't even know how great of a service you just did to Konoha.. No more endless Tora missions if we can immediately send you to appease the beast." he started to chuckle evilly while watching me with an evil glint in his eye making me step backwards toward my teammate. 

~~~~

“My dear little Tora!” The Daimyo’s wife, miss Shijimi cried in joy, rubbing her face against her ‘beloved cat’ who was currently being busy crying over the fact that he had to be with her again. “I’ve been worried sick!” She then left without even thanking us. 

Poor cat. I grimaced in disgust. I didn't even think cat were able to cry like this! I sighed, Tora would better be off in the Nature than with her. Even I wasn't like that with Tobi and my cat Before. I ignored the ache in my chest. I sighed again hearing Naruto laugh at Tora’s suffering. 

“Sate..” Sandaime mumbled. “Here are the next missions of Kakashi’s Team Seven.. First of all, baby-sitting of the village’s elder’s grandson.. then, a course to the neighboring village.. and help to harvest the..” 

“No!” Naruto shouted, cutting off the Hokage. “Oh, no! No way!” he made a X symbol with his arms in emphasis. “This time, I want to do something more exciting! Propose something else!” 

I blinked. Only Naruto could talk to the leader of our great military dictatorship like that. But he was right, though. It has been one month and two weeks since we graduated. We were already in December but it didn’t seem like it due to Konoha’s hot climate. All we did during these last weeks was wait (and train) all morning for Kakashi and then we’d spent the rest of the day alternating between D-ranks or training and teamwork drills. I could also proudly say that I finally learned shunshin and started to use it very well after one month of knocking myself into trees, people and walls. I now had to perfect my stamina and train with it for a long time to master it. I even got weights similar to Lee’s with the help of Kakashi to augment my strength and speed. Life was kind of good right now. 

But anyway, concerning the topic of D-ranks.. it wasn't like I really cared, I’d accept anything as long as I had money at the end of the day. I just hoped we wouldn’t have the Zabuza mission. I wasn’t ready for that.

“Bakayarou! You got some nerve for a rookie!” Iruka shouted, now standing next to the Hokage as he got up in anger. “We all started by simple missions to acquire experience!” 

“Yeah, but even though! We’re tired of these missions completely lame!” Naruto shouted back. 

Kakashi punched him in the head to shut him up, making him fall head first on the ground. I stifled a laugh. “Calm down, baka!”

“Naruto!” Sandaime’s rough voice elevated through the room, making me instantly nervous. I always felt vulnerable in front of him.. It was like he could guess I was hiding things. I gulped, he probably already was. I also couldn’t hide the fact that I was weary of him considering the fact that he was a military dictator (even though he had the nice grandfather image) and I was too used to a democratic regime. The political regime of Konoha really rubbed me in the wrong way. Sorry, but I couldn’t see myself dying for the village. “Since you don't understand, I am going to explain to you in what consists these missions.” Naruto stopped rubbing his head while whining and looked up at him. “Listen.” Oh, it was one of those moments in the anime when the characters felt the need to explain everything for the viewers who didn't know a thing about how things work! “The village receives each days many demands. It goes from babysitting to assassination. We do a list of these diverse missions, then we divide them in four categories suc h as A, B, C and D depending on their difficulty. It is the same thing for the village. After me, there are the jonin, chunin and finally, genin. It is therefore up to the higher-” I stopped lis tening to him seeing Naruto completely turn his back on a rambling Hokage. My eyebrow twitched, damn we already knew all of that! Naruto wasn’t even listening to him. A few more minutes of him talking in the air and showing us the D-rank mission scroll passed before he even noticed Naruto had turned his back to him. “Hm?!”

“Yesterday I ate pork ramen. So, today I will take the miso ones.”

“Are you listening?” Konoha’s leader shouted, losing his patience with the Uzumaki.

Kakashi rubbed his nape in embarrassment. “Please, excuse him.”

Naruto groaned, turning again to face the Hokage. “It’s always the same old story! I’m tired of you taking me for a bum who can only do pranks, jii-chan!” he yelled before turning his back again. 

I couldn’t help but let out a cute noise, Naruto was adorable when he was angry and confused at this age. He looked like a little angry bean. I heard Kakashi sigh in despair over his student’s insolence and saw him rub the back of his head again. It was also cute seeing him all embarrassed. I heard Iruka and the Hokage chuckle. At least, his burst of anger made everyone relax.

A moment of silence passed before the leader made his decision. “Yosh, that’s okay.”

“Huh?” Naruto opened his eyes

“Since you insist so much.. I will assign you a C-rank mission. This is an escort mission.”

“Really?” Naruto asked, voice full of hope. He turned towards the Hokage for what felt like the eleventh time in the last ten minutes “Who will we escort? A daimyo? Or else a princess?” Naruto excitedly asked.

“Come on, calm down.” Sandaime smirk, pipe now in his mouth. “I’ll introduce him to you. If you’d like to come in!” 

We all turned toward the entry of the room behind us. The door opened and an old man, Tazuna, if I remembered correctly, stopped entering when he saw us. Well, we were fucked. I’d take another fucking baby-sitting over this future shitshow anytime. 

“What is that? They look like a bunch of mega-runts!” he snarled, before messily taking huge gulps of his sake. I grimaced in disgust seeing the drink fall off his mouth while he was drinking. “Bleh” he groaned and took support over the wall. His cheeks were now completely red. Ew. I missed alcohol but seeing this made the drink repulsive all of a sudden. “Especially the midget with his stupid face and the fat girl! Don’t tell me they’re ninjas!” the old man pointed at us with the hand holding the liquor. 

Naruto started laughing and I fell silent, fuming in anger. It wasn’t like it was my fault that I had a shitty metabolism even in this universe! I’ve been training for two fucking years every single day but I was still over-weighted! I just wasn’t lucky enough in my second DNA lottery. At least it wasn't hindering my ninja abilities. I took a deep breath, trying to calm down. I wasn't about to insult our client in front of the Hokage. 

“Hahaha! Who’s ‘with his stupid face and the fat girl’?” Naruto stopped laughing seeing me and the others silent, finally realising that Tazuna was talking about him and me. “I’m gonna kill him!” he screamed. 

Kakashi immediately took him by the collar, lifting him up in the air to stop him from pursuing his threat but he was struggling. “Are you going to kill the person we have to escort? Aho! Try to stay calm like your teammate!” Kakashi yelled over Naruto's screams. 

Tazuna took another gulp of his drink and groaned. “I’m Tazuna, a mega-carpenter and my specialty is bridges. I just have one to finish in my country and I would need to be mega-protected until its achievement.” Was he trying to make himself appear.. cool? Because it wasn't working. 

Following that The Hokage quickly dismissed us, ordering our team to regroup in front of the Konoha Gates in one hour with our travel backpack ready to spend around 1 month outside of the village. 

~~~~

One hour later, I eagerly joined everyone outside of the village. Even the ever late Kakashi was early for once with a cute backpack on his back. Fortunately, it didn't take me too much time to prepare my backpack since I was organized. I just took some time to give enough food to Tobi, say my farewells and warn the neighbors to take care of him during my absence. It was the first time since I got him that I had to leave him for a long amount of time and it broke my heart. 

I looked around me curiously, it was the first time I was outside of Konoha. I couldn't wait to see what this world really looked like. To be honest, I got tired of seeing Konoha everyday during two years. I needed to travel. 

Naruto walked in front of everybody and stretched his arms towards the sky. “Yosh! Let’s go!” he grinned at us, probably eager to travel outside of the village for the first time too. 

“You're too excited, Naruto.” Sakura quickly cut him off. 

Naruto looked around him dramatically. “That's because I’ve never left the village!”

“Oi, do you really think I’m in security with that weirdo?” Tazuna asked Kakashi, pointing at Naruto who quickly stopped looking around him. 

Kakashi chuckled in embarrassment, hands in his pockets. “I am going to accompany you. Don't worry.” 

Naruto crossed his arms and turned angrily, pointing his finger at our client. “Say, jiji! Don't underestimate ninjas! You don't know who you're dealing with! I’ll become Hokage and will be the greatest of ninjas! My name is Uzumaki Naruto! Try to remember it!” Naruto smiled confidently at him, doing a huge switch of personality. 

Tazuna drank his sake. “The Hokage is the strongest of the village, no? You really don't seem up to it for me… even the fat girl there could do it.” 

I gasped and quickly fumed in anger. 

“Huh?! Bullshit! I’ll do anything to become Hokage! And then, even you will be forced to recognize my worth!” Naruto screamed.

Tazuna scoffed, doing a sideways glance. “I will recognize nothing, gaki. Even if you become Hokage or not.” 

“I’m gonna kill him!” Naruto tried to jumped at him but Kakashi stopped him by helding to his backpack. He started to struggle. 

“Stop, baka!” 

“No! No! Let me hit him!” 

I glared at Tazuna as he started drinking again while leaving and completely ignoring Naruto’s threats. “Hey! You know what? Fuck you, old man! I said nothing earlier because we were in front of the Hokage but I will not let another remark pass. I’m a competent genin even with my weight and I even graduated at the second place of my class so it doesn't hinder my abilities. I, at least, can protect myself when in danger compared to a certain someone so try insulting me again and you'll see you fucking drunken piece of sh-” Kakashi put his hand over my mouth, quickly shutting me off. I continued to glare and send some killing intent at a shocked Tazuna who nearly choked on his drink. 

“Maah, maah. And here I thought you were the sweet one on this team, Yasuho-chan.. I’m sorry, Tazuna-san. But please, don't try to insult my student’s abilities to complete the mission again. I don’t think I can try to stop them from killing you next time.” he chuckled awkwardly while releasing my mouth. 

“Sorry.” I sighed and turned to hide my blush from him, completely forgetting about the old piece of shit. It was still embarrassing for me to be so close physically to my favorite character whom I happened to have a huge crush on Before. I didn't have any crush on him now since it was awkward with me being almost twelve physically but I still couldn't help blushing if he was too close. He was too handsome in real life, my young adult mind still couldn't deal with it. 

“He said bad things about my friend! Please, just let me kill him once!” Naruto whined, still struggling to get away from Kakashi. 

~~~~

A few hours later, we were now well into our journey, walking at a civilian pace into the forests of the Land of Fire. Suddenly, I loved being a ninja! Walking this many hours wasn't even tiring! The journey was calm with Naruto being excited and asking a lot of questions at Kakashi which he ignored in favor of reading his book, I was the one answering him at the best of my capacity and it lasted until I got tired. Naruto then kept talking to me and I simply hummed in response. Sasuke was brooding with a staring Sakura at his side and Tazuna kept drinking pensively. I sometimes caught him glancing at Naruto and I. 

Sakura finally spoke up. “Ne, Tazuna-san.” 

“Yes?” 

“You really come from the Land of Waves, isn't it?” 

“Yes, and what?”

“Ne, Kakashi-sensei, is there ninjas there?” 

Kakashi turned his head towards the pink-haired girl. “No, there's no ninjas in the Land of Waves. But even though the culture and customs differ from ours, there's ninjas in most other countries.” Oh shit, I internally sighed. It will be another moment of explanation for the new anime viewers. Kakashi, we already knew that! “For the many countries of the continent, the existence of a hidden village is equivalent to the presence of a military power. It allows to maintain balance between neighboring countries. But it doesn't mean that the hidden villages are placed under the authority of different governments. Certain small countries such as Waves fear little the great powers and thus, don't need a hidden village. Amongst all of the countries who possess shinobi villages, you need to remember those of Fire, Water, Lightening, Wind and Earth. Those five countries, by their scope and power, are called the Five Great Shinobi Lands.” I turned off Kakashi’s explanation. 

I loved hearing him talk but I already learned all of that in two lifetimes. Damn, he could love to hear himself talk sometimes. 

“Ehh! So, our Hokage is super strong!” Sakura squealed, blushing. 

“Of course, he isn't called ‘The God of Shinobi’ for nothing, Sakura. Don't underestimate him.” I sighed, already tired of her. 

“Oi. Are you doubting Hokage-sama?” Kakashi asked, knowing for a fact that that's what Naruto and Sakura were doing. They quickly stopped moving and shook their heads forcefully. It was cute. They didn't even know that Kakashi could report them for insubordination. Our sensei patted my head and Sakura's as we were next to him like we were his dogs or something. He probably was considering all of us as that. “At least Yasuho here doesn't. Maah, don't worry.” he gave us an eye-smile. “It's just a mission of rank-C. There will be no ninja to fight.” I closed my eyes in defeat as he just doomed us. The demon brothers could be anywhere now. 

“So we will not meet ninjas from other countries?” Sakura naively asked, deepening our future doom. 

“I hope you know that you all doomed us. Never say that something will not happen when everything could happen once outside.” I shook my head tragically. 

Kakashi patted my head with more strength. “Of course not!” 

“Liar.” I whispered making him chuckle. 

~~~~

One hour later we were following the stream and crossed a small bridge. I was now feeling anxious as the Demon Brothers could attack us anytime. Right on cue, we passed by an ominous single puddle. I tensed and glared at it but Kakashi noticed it and send me an unreadable glance before looking at the puddle inconspicuously. 

A moment of silence passed and all of a sudden, shuriken-laced chains appeared from behind us and binded Kakashi. 

“Nani?” he fainted shock. 

We turned and saw the two demon brothers by his sides, holding the chains. I gulped seeing them as I had been apprehending this confrontation since we left the village. 

“What is th-” Naruto started yelling but was cut off by our enemies. 

“And one!” they pulled on their chainsaws, pulling apart a log Kakashi transferred with at the last second, preventing his death. 

I shivered seeing the illusion of Kakashi getting cut into pieces, leaving a gruesome sight. I’d be shocked if I didn't know he was currently hiding behind a tree to assess our enemies’ motive. Sakura screamed in terror. 

“Kakashi-sensei!” Naruto yelled, completely frozen up.

The two demon brothers immediately turned their attention to him and appeared behind the orange boy. “To the next!” 

Naruto turned, sweat pouring down his face as the two demons started attacking him like they did with Kakashi. He started screaming when Sasuke quickly intervened. The Uchiha threw a shuriken and then a kunai with perfect accuracy, sticking the chainsaw into a tree. One of them tried to move to attack the Uchiha but his arm was stuck so I jumped in and did a shunshin, quickly grabbing Naruto to get him away from them when they still couldn't move. Sasuke landed on their arms, put his hands on them and kicked them with his feet on their faces, making them fall but they quickly detached themselves from their Metal Gauntlet and one made a run for Naruto and I while the other charged at Tazuna and Sakura. 

Naruto screamed and fell on the ground in terror while I grabbed a kunai and put myself in front of him to protect him, also containing a scream, seeing as we were about to get attacked. Kakashi could really give us a hand now! As if on cue, he quickly appeared and grabbed the ninja under his arm by the throat, making him unconscious. He did a seal-less (lucky him!) shunshin and appeared behind the other one as he was about to attack Sasuke, Sakura and Tazuna, effortlessly defeating the two chunin.

“Yo!” Kakashi blankly stared at Naruto and I while holding the two now unconscious Demon Brothers under his arms like they were nothing. 

Yay. Our hero. “Finally you decided to make an appearance! That was so kind of you!” I sarcastically remarked. “I saw you hid behind that tree.” I lamely explained, seeing his odd look. 

“Ah.. That's why you didn't react. I thought you didn't care about your sweet and nice sensei.” he chuckled. 

“You thought.” I snorted seeing his dejected face. Of course I cared about him. 

“But… But then..” Naruto panicked and kept looking between Kakashi’s ‘remains’ who were just pieces of wood and Kakashi. 

“Naruto, sorry for not intervening earlier. He had time to harm you but I didn't think you'll stay petrified like this..” He was disappointed in him. “Fortunately, Yasuho protected you, stopping you from getting more harmed. You did well, Yasuho.” he finally complimented me. Kakashi turned to glance at us and started walking forward in the other’s direction What? I didn't even see Naruto getting hurt! My eyes widened. I thought I at least stopped that from happening since he wasn't alone. “You fought well, Sasuke. You too, Sakura.” 

I turned to check on Naruto’s wound but stopped seeing him having a life crisis, eyes completely wide while he tried to get up. Okay.. 

“So?” Sasuke’s voice made him get up in panic and I had to get a few meters away from him to avoid receiving a kick. “No harm done..? You coward.” Sasuke smirked at him arrogantly. 

I refrained from insulting him. I hated the Uchiha when he was being like this. 

Naruto trembled in anger and shouted “Sasuke!”

“Naruto!” Kakashi shouted, stopping him from insulting the Uchiha. “Their claws were covered in poison. We need to tend to your wound rapidly.” 

“Huh?” Naruto gasped and winced in pain seeing the top of his hand bleeding out due to the cut. I walked next to him and winced too. 

“We will have to open the wound to evacuate the infected blood. Avoid moving or else you'll make the position circulate.” Kakashi warned Naruto then slowly spoke to our client. I internally cheered, I was waiting for that moment since the beginning. “In fact, Tazuna-san..” 

Tazuna panicked. “Yes, what is it?”

Kakashi slightly turned toward him. “I need to talk to you…” he announced in an ominous tone then went to tie down the foreign ninjas against a tree. When he was done, Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi, Tazuna, Naruto and I in that order all stood up in front of them. Kakashi finally spoke again once they were woken up. “They are chunin ninjas from Kirigakure. They are reputed for their snarl during combat. They never give up.” 

They glared at him. “How did you anticipated our attack?” 

“Water puddles are pretty rare …when the sun shines like today.” 

“Then why did you let the kids fight?” Tazuna asked. 

“If I wanted to, I could have killed those two in the blink of an eye. Mah…” Kakashi glared at the older man. “First I needed to verify who was the target of their ambush.” 

“What do you mean?” Onion hat asked. 

“Who was targeted? You? Or else, one of the four of us? I wanted to make sure of that. You never told me that you were threatened by shinobi. Our mission should be limited to protect you from thieves and bandits… But now, our mission increases to at least B-rank… We just had to ensure your protection until the achievement of your bridge.” Tazuna’s head dropped in shame as Kakashi discovered the truth about the mission. “If we had known that there would be ninjas, this mission would have been upgraded in rank-B and its price would have increased.” Kakashi narrowed his eyes, continuing to scold the old man. “You must have your reasons but this omission put us in a delicate situation. It changes all the data of the mission.” 

“We're still not ready for such a mission… Let's just forget it! Also, we need an anesthetic to open Naruto’s wound. We need to go back to the village to see a doctor!” Sakura suggested.

We all stared at Naruto who was still holding his hand, freaking out over his wound. A moment of silence passed before he turned toward Kakashi who glanced tiredly at the sky. 

“Effectively, we don't have a choice. Since Naruto is wounded, let's go back to the village.” 

Naruto glared at Kakashi, eyes filled with pain. Suddenly, he took out a kunai from his pouch and stabbed the half of it right into his hand. Making blood go into the air. Some of it landed on my face as I was right near him. 

I screamed in shock. “Are you fucking crazy? I can't believe you’ve done this! We're not in a movie!” I shook his shoulders but he ignored me and turned away from me, wincing and eyes closed with pain. 

“Naruto! What are you doing?!” Even Sakura got worried as she screamed at him, too. 

A few minutes of silence passed as Naruto was probably doing an important internal monologue, promising things that we couldn't hear as blood dripped into the ground. Finally, he turned toward us and grinned, taking off the kunai planted into his hand. He snickered. “Let's pursue the mission!” 

I blinked. They really needed therapy in Konoha. 

“Naruto, it's very good to purge the poison, but.. if you continue, you will bleed out.” 

A minute of silence passed. We could even hear the birds and local wildlife around us. Naruto turned blue and started shaking with sweat pouring out of his face. 

Kakashi appeared right behind him and crouched at his level, doing a fake eye-smile. “I'm not kidding. You will pass out if we do nothing. And I mean die.” he announced in a sweet tone. 

Naruto started screaming and running from side to side like a crab. I quickly grabbed him to stop him from moving further more but he struggled even harder. “No, not this! Help! Yasuho-chan, drop me! I don't want to die like this, dattebayo!” 

Kakashi dropped his head seeing him act like this and Sakura walked toward us, hands on her hips in anger. 

“Hey, someone help me, please. I can't hold him forever!” I whined. “Stop moving for God’s sake!” I shook him.

“Let me see your hand.” Kakashi asked desperately.

“No, please! Help me!” 

Kakashi grabbed his hand nevertheless and I had a hard time stopping him from moving. 

“Naruto! Stop moving it's masochism at this point. You're really weird!” yelled Sakura.

After a few seconds, he finally calmed down and let Kakashi inspect his hand. I released him and went next to him to see what was happening. All of a sudden, Kakashi’s eye widened. I extended my neck to clearly see what shocked him but he quickly bandaged his hand, obstructing the view from me. I blinked, confused. Ah, it must be because it was healing fast and I wasn't supposed to know about that and Kurama. I sighed, tired of having to act as if I knew absolutely nothing on a daily basis when I even knew Kakashi's most desired secret aka what he looked like under his mask. It was such a blessing hidden from the world. 

Naruto’s teeth clacked in fear. “Ano sa. Ano sa. Am I gonna make it? You seem worried?” he was still blue and shaking like a leaf. 

“Yes, it should be good.” the Hatake gently finished wrapping his hand in a bandage with a pensive look. 

I shivered and looked at the road in front of us. Next was Momochi Zabuza and I. couldn't. wait. for that. Note the irony. 


	6. The Assassin of the Mist

Three long days later, we found ourselves on a small motorboat, sneakily crossing the small portion of ocean between the Land of Fire and the Land of Waves as the motor was turned off. We were even guided by someone who was making sure of our safe arrival. 

“That's one kind of a fog, we can't see anything.” Sakura worriedly remarked, pointing out the obvious. But the girl was true, we couldn’t see shit.

A moment of silence passed as everyone observed the fog. 

“We should see the bridge soon.” our smuggler, Kaji, announced. “We will arrive to the Land of Waves by longing it.” 

A few seconds later, an immense bridge appeared in our sight. It was still under heavy construction but the bridge was already imposing. 

“That's crazy! It's gigantic! Awesome!” Naruto shouted in awe. I winced as he broke the peaceful silence with his high screechy voice. 

“Shut up! What's wrong with you, screaming like that?!” the smuggler scolded him. “If we move on at the oar in the mist.. it's just to be discreet. If Gatô notices us, we’ll get into serious trouble!” he added, voice full of fear and worry.

Naruto quickly put a hand over his mouth to shut himself up. We all looked worriedly around us while Kakashi simply stared at Tazuna. 

“Tazuna-san… Before disembarking, I would like to clarify some points” Kakashi calmly said before continuing seeing Tazuna drop his face in shame. “I want to know who wants to kill you. And why. If you don’t answer our mission will end at the moment you set a foot on the dock.” Kakashi finally threatened him.

I wondered why Kakashi waited all that time to ask him this.

Tazuna stayed silent with a stern face during a few minutes while we were all staring at him before he decided to answer and explain the situation himself. “Okay, you leave me no choice. Ultimately, maybe it’s better like this. As you assumed, this mission risks to be more perilous than planned. To tell you the truth, a guy mega-dangerous wants to eliminate me.” 

“‘A guy mega-dangerous’?” I contained a snort hearing Kakashi saying the word ‘mega’ in a serious context. “Who’s that?” 

“You had probably already heard of him. The shipping magnate.. The famous Gatô” Tazuna announced ominously. 

“Gatô? The CEO of the Gatô Company? One of the richest man in the world?” Kakashi’s eye widened in surprise. 

I couldn’t help but let out a laughter hearing him say Gatô so ominously when from another world it only meant cake in french. It was like he just said he was being threatened by a cake, I couldn’t take him seriously right now. “Ahem, sorry..” I apologized and tried to calm down seeing the other’s shocked faces, Tazuna’s offended face and Kakashi’s odd look. “I just- You know.. It’s an inside joke..” they stared at me blankly. “It’s just that we learned about him at the Academy and he’s so ugly I- You know what? Forget it you won’t get it anyway.” I lamely justified and gave up seeing their faces. I blushed in embarrassment. I was probably acting like that because of the nerves knowing that we were soon about to confront one of the most ruthless ninja out there.

“Who? Who are you talking about?” Naruto asked confusedly 

Tazuna cleared his throat, trying to forget about me. “That’s him. But the maritime transports are just a facade. He’s the head of an organisation involved in drug trafficking with which he tries to take control of some key sectors or even of entire countries. Around one year ago he started to take an interest in the Land of Waves. With bribes and physical threats he quickly took control of the shipbuilding industry of the country! Our country being an archipal, the one who possesses the monopole of maritime transport possesses at the same time all the wealth. Now that Gatô is the leader of the country, the only thing he fears is.. the achievement of this bridge!” he finished his monologue by looking at his unfinished bridge. 

Thinking about what he said, that was already what the developed countries were doing to poor countries with more vital resources than them in my world. I sighed. It was the same thing everywhere, no matter in which world you were. I couldn’t wait to overthrow Gatô and free this country from the CEO’s repression. 

Sakura rubbed her chin. “I see. Since you’re the one building that bridge… he wants to eliminate you.” 

Sasuke turned to her. “Then the ninja who attacked us were working for him?” 

Sakura ignored him for once, too deep in thought. This made me gasp and attract the Uchiha’s attention so I could only nod in response to his question. 

“What I don’t understand very well is that you knew Gatô employed shinobi. Then why did you hide it from us.” 

“Maybe because he was desperate for any kind of protection and since Gatô keeps all the money and resources from the locals it suggests that a C-rank was all he could afford while building his bridge at the same time?” I asked, already knowing the answer but I wanted to seem smart in front of them. 

“You’re right..” Tazuna glanced at me, stunned while he sent me an unreadable glance. Tazuna then dropped his head. “The Land of Waves.. is in a mega-misery. Even our daimyo is broke.” he paused. “Neither I am rolling in dough. As she said, I didn’t have the means to pay for a B-rank mission. Maah, if you decide to turn back once you dropped me off… I will get killed for sure before I could even get home. But don’t worry about it. No one will care. Alone, my 8 year old grandson will cry his eyes out!” he dramatically mimicked crying.

“What?” Sakura’s and Naruto’s face dropped comically. 

“Yes, and my poor orphelin daughter will without a doubt spend the rest of her days blaming and cursing Konoha Ninja! But it’s not your fault at all!” 

I simply stared at him with a blank look on my face, not feeling an ounce of guilt for him. Especially if he was trying to guilt trip us like this when we had Naruto Uzumaki on our team with his too good to be true moral compass that would not allow us to do something like that, anyway.  All of our team looked at each other, not knowing how to act. 

Kakashi rubbed his forehead in thinking during a few seconds. “Maah, alright. We will continue to escort you.” he awkwardly gave his decision. He could be kind sometimes!

Tazuna gasped. “It’s nice of you!” he smirked and did a peace sign.

“Well, don’t push it too far, old man.” I glared at him in disgust.

I used to like him in the anime, but in real life he was something else and his remarks toward me didn’t help his case. He was fighting for a good cause and I had to protect him regarding of my dislike but I wasn’t about to be nice with him anytime soon.  Kakashi pinched me in the arm, ordering me not to say anything else and the boat fell silent. 

~~~~

Half an hour later, our smuggler finally spoke up as a tunnel under the dock appeared. “We’re almost there. Tazuna, I think that for the moment, we weren’t noticed.” he turned on the motor.

“Thank you.” 

We went under the tunnel and quickly crossed it making a beautiful paysage appear in front of our eyes now that the fog was gone. The sky was blue, covered with few clouds. We could see small houses standing on pilotis above an also blue mangrove. It was really pretty. I missed seeing the blue waters. I loved ocean. It changed from Konoha’s trees.  Naruto gasped in wonder next to me. He was so cute! We crossed the mangrove under the seagulls’ cries and finally arrived at the dock after a nerve-wracking boat trip of two hours.

“I’m not going any further. See ya.” our smuggler cowardly announced.

I narrowed my eyes at him. At least he took us here.

“Okay… mega-thanks for everything!” 

“Take care of yourself.” he turned the motor of his boat and we all stared at him as he quickly disappeared into the mangrove. 

Tazuna turned toward us “En route. I am counting on you to protect me!”

“Hai, hai..” Kakashi dismissed him, hands in his pocket and started walking morously.

We all followed him and I started walking quickly, hoping in vain to arrive at Tazuna’s house before Zabuza could attack us. 

~~~~

Around half an hour later, I was in front of the group walking quietly, deep in my thoughts when Naruto and Sasuke suddenly walked in front of me, trying to walk faster than the other one in a ridiculous attempt at competition. I shook my head seeing that they were also glaring at each other while doing so. Will they accuse the other one if I tried to make them fall? 

I didn’t have time to realize my hypothesis when Naruto suddenly ran in front of us and stopped to look around. He grabbed a kunai and threw it in a bush. “Here!” he yelled.  Everyone stopped in shock, eyes wide except for me and Sasuke next to me who stayed silent. I simply let out a low what the fuck while Sakura gasped. Naruto proudly got up. “A mouse without a doubt..” 

Sakura shrieked in anger behind me. “Stop showing off, Naruto! There was nothing in this bush!” 

“Stop throwing kunai randomly, Naruto! It’s very dangerous!” Kakashi scolded him. 

Sasuke and I sighed at the same time. 

“Midget, stop getting excited for nothing!” Tazuna yelled at him. Naruto probably scared him with his antics. 

“I thought I saw a shadow move right there!” Minato’s son defended himself. “No, there!”

“Um, perhaps he’s right. Maybe he saw the shadow of another enemy ninja? We shouldn’t underestimate the threat..” I gulped. A heavy panic started to take place inside me since Zabuza was supposed to attack anytime now. This was so nerve-wracking I was sure I was about to throw up. 

Kakashi hummed and I saw him glance at his side. 

Naruto suddenly yelled "There!” and threw another kunai in the direction Kakashi previously glanced at. The kunai landed on another bush. 

“Enough now!” Sakura yelled, hitting Naruto in the head 

The latter whined in pain, held his head between his hands and turned to Sakura. “But Yasuho-chan’s right. I felt that we were observed, I assure you that’s true, dattebayo!”

“Yes, of course! Now, calm down!” Sakura did not believe him. Kakashi went behind the bush and I followed him only to see a white rabbit scared to death at the base of a tree with Naruto’s kunai right above his head. “Naruto! Aren’t you ashamed?!” Sakura shrieked in my ears as she saw Kakashi’s discovery too.

“A rabbit?!” Naruto screamed and pushed Kakashi and I to get in front of the scared animal. He dropped on his knees. “Gomen! I didn’t want to…” he took the rabbit in his arms and tightly hugged it. “Sorry.. I’m sorry, little bunny” he cried. 

I lightly smiled seeing Naruto’s compassion. I couldn’t say a thing about it because I used to be the same with my old cat and I still am with Tobi. 

“All of this for a rabbit..” Tazuna mumbled. 

My heart suddenly pounded forcefully on my chest. I gulped and looked around me when I saw Kakashi do the same. This was Zabuza’s rabbit. It meant that he was just around us. 

Naruto kept crying and holding the rabbit. “I’m sorry…” 

All of a sudden, Kakashi turned and yelled. “Drop to the ground!” We all did as he ordered seeing a huge sword fly above our heads. 

The sword planted itself on a tree and the infamous Zabuza stood on it. Kakashi and all of us quickly stood up seeing Zabuza glare murderously at us. That was it, one of the moments I was dreading since I was assigned to this forsaken team. We all glared at Zabuza during a few moments full of tension. The man was extremely intimidating, even though he was currently wearing ridiculous sleeves and high socks in a cow pattern. 

Kakashi walked forward, hands confidently still in his pockets. “Eh, but it looks like Momochi Zabuza the missing-nin from Kirigakure is here!” 

I saw Naruto hesitate and I quickly grabbed him by his backpack before he could jump in action and endanger us all. “Oi! Where are you going?!” 

Kakashi put his hand in front of us. “Don't stay here! Stay back!” 

“But why?” Naruto yelled in my ear making me wince. 

“This one is tougher than the other two. I will need to… do this the hard way.” Kakashi put a hand over his hitae-ate covering Obito’s sharingan. 

“Sharingan no Kakashi…” Zabuza finally spoke up. I heard Sasuke gasp behind me, hearing that his sensei had his massacred clan’s infamous dojutsu. “Sorry.. but I want this jiji.” he deepened his glare at Kakashi. 

Then they had a glaring contest which lasted a good minute giving me time to panic even more over Zabuza being here in front of us. I knew he wasn't a real villain at the end but he could kill me if he wanted to. It wasn't like I had a plot protection like everyone else here. 

“Dispose yourself in a svastika position. Protect Tazuna. Do not intervene in the fight! It's a team work!” Kakashi ordered us before finally revealing Obito’s sharingan. Zabuza narrowed his eyes at him. “Let's fight.” Kakashi spoke up. 

Okay, that was hot in real life. I could squeal if we weren't in a dangerous situation. It was weird seeing a real red eye, though.

“Oh, here is the famous sharingan. You get me the big game right away! I’m flattered.” Zabuza completely turned towards us.

“Sharingan. Sharingan. You only have this world in the mouth! What is this thing?!” 

“We talked about this in class, Naruto.” I put a hand on my forehead. “Kakashi is also known in the world for this. Sensei is famous.” 

“The Sharingan..” Sasuke finally spoke up, frowning. “..is a Dôjutsu, the art of using the pupils. In an instant, the masters of this art can analyze all attacks of Genjutsu, Taijutsu and Ninjutsu and counterattack them. The Sharingan refers in fact to a particular type of iris possessed by the masters of Dôjutsu. But there’s different stages and powers of the Sharingan.” I never heard Sasuke talk that much.

I heavily sighed seeing as we went into another explicative monologue but this time in front of one of the ruthless killers in this world as if he couldn't kill us anytime now. It was nice of him to wait.

“Effectively, it's not all. What makes this eye really redoubtable is its capacity to copy any adversaries’ jutsus.” A thick fog appeared out of nowhere, covering the forest and clearing around us. “When I was a part of the Kiri assassins group, the bingo book that I had contained information about you. You were mentioned as ‘Copy ninja Kakashi’, ‘The man with one thousand stolen jutsus.’”. 

Yes, he's powerful. We already knew that. Spoiler : he'll even become Hokage. It wasn’t that hell of a shock, was it? 

“So cool, dattebayo!” Naruto fangirled next to our sensei. 

Zabuza crouched on his sword. “Enough talking. I have to eliminate that jiji quickly.” 

With that being said, the others finally decided to follow Kakashi's earlier orders and we put ourselves in front of said old man, poorly protecting him with our kunais. 

“Well, Kakashi. I will need to get rid of you first.” Zabuza took off his sword from the tree and disappeared in the mist. A few seconds later, a ripple appeared on the lake next to the clearing, attracting our attention. 

“He’s there!” Naruto spoke up. 

“He's standing on the water!” the other girl in our team added. 

On the lake stood Zabuza in all his glory, doing a jutsu. The wind and fog were going wild around him, nearly covering him. He was about to do his famous technique. “Ninpô. Kirigakure no jutsu…” the assassin suddenly disappeared in the air, only leaving a single leave landing on the water in his stance. Mist got thicker around us. 

“He disappeared.” Naruto pointed out the obvious. 

“Sensei!” Sakura called out seeing Kakashi walk toward the lake. 

“His first target will probably be me.” he simply said, still staring at Zabuza’s last known position. 

“Who is that guy?” 

“Zabuza Momochi.. an old member of Kiri’s ANBU, reputed expert in Silent Assassinations.” Kakashi answered Sakura. 

“Silent?” asked Naruto. 

“Like the name says, these techniques of assassination are fast and furtives. When you notice it, you're already dead. Concerning me, I do not perfectly master the Sharingan… First of all, stay cautious!” he paused. “Maah, If I fail, we'll die. Nothing more..” 

“It's not funny!” Sakura exclaimed. 

The fog thickened even more. 

“The mist thickens more and more, dattebayo!” 

“Normal, Land of Waves is surrounded by ocean. The fog comes mega-rapidly.”

“Sensei!” cried Sakura. 

We could barely see Kakashi anymore. I tightened the hold on my kunai. It truly felt like we were alone against a predator now that we couldn't see the silver-haired man. The tension was as thick as the fog. 

“Eight possibilities!” Zabuza’s thick Killing Intent suddenly enveloped us. I could feel it try to suffocate me but I only was weirded out since it barely phased me at all. My current panic was only due to anxiety.

“What was that?”

“The pharynx, the spinal column, the pulmonary artery, the liver… the jugular veins, the clavicle… the kidneys and the heart…” continued Zabuza, answering to Sakura’s question. “Sate? By what do I start?” 

I gulped. Dammit, I really didn't sign for this. 

A few seconds later, a part of the fog dissipated due to winds of chakra making Kakashi appear in front of us again. The blue chakra surrounding him showed us that it was his doing. I felt a little bit better now. 

Sasuke started shaking next to me. Was that boy having a panic attack? I widened my eyes in surprise when he suddenly pointed his kunai toward his stomach.. The Killing Intent must be too unbearable for him. I never thought I’d see Sasuke attempt to kill himself.

“Sasuke!” Kakashi called to him without turning back to us. Sasuke immediately stopped shaking and turned the kunai away. I sighed in relief. “Don't worry. I will protect you even if I have to risk my life. I'm not the kind of person who lets their team be massacred!” he slightly turned his head and sent us a forced eye smile meant to reassure us but particularly Sasuke.

I slightly smiled. Kakashi was a shitty teacher and he kinda lied but we could always count on him to protect and reassure us in dire situations. We were his kids now. 

“That's what we’ll see..” Zabuza suddenly spoke up and appeared right among us, just in front of Tazuna. My heart stopped. “It’s the end.”

Kakashi directly jumped in front of him and latched at Zabuza’s waist. He stabbed him at the stomach, stopping him from using his sword. 

We all jumped backward to get away from the Kiri nin. I stood in front of Tazuna with a kunai in hand, Sakura and Naruto fell on the ground and Sasuke was on the opposite side, already ready to attack. 

Water falling at Zabuza’s side broke the eerie silence. I tensed seeing another Zabuza appear behind Kakashi. Our sensei only stabbed a mizu bunshin. 

“Sensei, behind you!” Naruto warned him, still on the ground. 

Kakashi turned in surprise (really?) toward Zabuza behind him making the mizu bunshin disperse. 

“Die!” the missing nin yelled, slashing through ‘Kakashi’. He smirked before realizing that he killed a mizu bunshin of Kakashi when the sliced parts of his body transformed into water. 

The Hatake appeared right behind the kiri nin and put a kunai under his throat. “Don't move!” he paused. Zabuza didn't react outwardly. “It's the end.” he used the latter’s earlier words against him. 

“You go, Kakashi-sensei!” I couldn't help but exclaim in joy seeing Zabuza's frowning face now that Kakashi copied his jutsu and returned it against him. 


	7. The Oath of Blood

“A-awesome!” Naruto cried out in awe, lips wavering. 

Zabuza started chuckling maniacally. “The end? Do you believe that? Do you really imagine you can fight me by imitating my jutsu? Well, you will be disappointed..” he kept chuckling. “In any case, that was well done! At this moment, you already copied my mizu bunshin no jutsu, didn't you? And you made your bunshin pronounce all these legit words with the goal to attract my attention… When in fact, you were observing me, hidden in the mist. But too bad for you..” Zabuza sighed. I nearly gasped as another copy of him appeared right behind Kakashi and put a kunai on his throat. “I have another trick in my bag, too.” the bunshin in front of Kakashi dispersed in a puddle of water. 

“Another mizu bunshin!” Naruto warned kinda uselessly. 

Zabuza sliced Kakashi but the Hatake crouched on the ground, avoiding the sword in time. Zabuza planted the sword on the ground and put a hand on the hold, lifting his body in the air. He forcefully kicked Kakashi, who cried in pain, in the face, making him go in the air and fell right into the lake. 

“Now!”

Zabuza took his sword again and ran at full speed toward Kakashi, ready to slice him. Suddenly he stopped, noticing something at his feet, and jumped into the lake where Kakashi was. 

“Sensei!” Naruto cried in panic. 

“He’s also an expert in taijutsu.” Sasuke remarked tensely. 

“Kakashi! Go out of the lake right now or you'll be trapped!” I shouted, trying to avoid the whole Kakashi trapped in water and ready to die for us situation. 

Kakashi’s head resurfaced out of the lake and his eyes widened at me. He was about to speak but Zabuza shunshined behind him and quickly started doing mudras. 

“Hm. Baka… Suiro no jutsu!” A bubble of water appeared around Kakashi, trapping him. Kakashi’s eyes widened in surprise and he glared at Zabuza who had an arm encased in the bubble, maintaining the jutsu. 

Damn! I bit my lower lip. I should have.. I didn't know.. I should have taken the risk and grab him to get him out of the water or something! Or spoke sooner! 

Zabuza chuckled lowly. “I got you. No one can get out of this prison! It will be simpler now that you're neutralized. Sate, Kakashi… I will deal with you later. First I’m gonna get rid of your little companions.” he finished his threat by doing a one single-handed tiger seal. “Mizu bunshin no jutsu.”

I heard Naruto gasp in front of me as a clone of Zabuza formed itself out of the water’s lake. 

Zabuza chuckled, mocking us. “So you think you're real ninjas with the hitae-ate and everything? But you know.. A real ninja is one who is closely around death. You don't deserve that title until you have the real level to appear in my bingo book.” he did another seal, doing this time the kirigakure no jutsu. “You seem like everything but ninjas!” I gulped as he disappeared into the mist a second time. I could barely see the others. All of a sudden Naruto was kicked in the chest. He fell right in front of me but his hitae-ate dropped at Zabuza’s feet. The latter glared at us. “You're just some gaki.” 

I immediately went to help Naruto as Sakura cried his name. “Are you okay?” I asked him, voice full of concern but Naruto ignored me and kept shivering in fear on the ground, eyes fixed on Zabuza. 

“Listen to me!” Kakashi ordered loudly, eyes wide. “Run away and take Tazuna-san far away from here! Zabuza is too strong! He cannot move since he has to keep me in this liquid prison! And he can't control his mizu bunshin until a certain distance! So run away, quick!” 

“We have to fight!” Sasuke spoke up in front of me before running toward Zabuza's clone, ready to attack. 

Zabuza's clone glared at him and took his sword out off his back. Sasuke threw him a bunch of Shurikens which were quickly averted and thrown back at Sasuke’s direction by the kiri nin’s famous sword. 

Sasuke jumped in the air in order to avoid them and cried “I am here!” as Zabuza was searching for him. 

“Ridiculous.” Zabuza grabbed the Uchiha’s throat, quickly shutting him off. The latter let out a cry of pain and was sent away on the ground. 

“Sasuke-kun!” Sakura screamed seeing her crush be so easily defeated. 

“Sasuke..” Naruto at my feet was completely shivering. “Ehh..” 

I turned my head from Sasuke to Naruto only to let out a terrified gasp seeing Zabuza right in front of us. I grabbed Naruto’s shoulders, flexed my knees and coated my feet and legs with chakra, ready to run away from him and join the others or else he’ll kill us. I wasn't too worried for Naruto since he was the main character but I didn't want to take any risks. 

Naruto turned to go away with me and I was ready to do a shunshin but suddenly he stopped moving and stared at his hand. 

“Oi! What are you doing? You’re not in an anime! We need to join the others or else we'll be immediately killed, Naruto!” I released my grip on his shoulders but the boy ignored me and stood up. 

I sighed when I saw his stance. The Uzumaki was probably having whole flashbacks and doing internal promises. He was so lucky that behavior didn't get him killed the first time around. 

Suddenly he started to run away like Sasuke did and let a war cry. 

“No, stop!” Kakashi yelled from his water prison. 

I joined the others as Sakura yelled his name while pulling her hair in anger. “What is wrong with you?”

“Dammit! I should have never released my grip on him.” I hissed. 

Naruto was quickly defeated by Zabuza and fell in front of us. 

“Are you completely unconscious? Even Sasuke-kun could do nothing! We are genin! We don't stand a chance against a..” Sakura stopped her scolding seeing Naruto holding his retrieved hitae-ate. 

I sighed. That was very honorable of him but extremely dumb. He could've waited for the fight to end. 

Silence reigned as we all watched Naruto shakily stand up. 

“Oi. You, there! Eyebrow-less freak!” Zabuza glared at him for the remark. “You can write my name in your bingo book! I'm the one who will, one day, become Hokage!” Naruto straightened himself and took a deep breath before tying Iruka’s hitae-ate on his forehead. Wasn't he tired of telling his dream to approximately each person he met, meets, and will meet in his life? “I’m a ninja from Konoha! My name is Uzumaki Naruto!” Zabuza deepened his glare. “Sasuke, come here! I need to talk to you!” 

“About what?” 

“My plan!” 

“Oi. I want to be a part of it too!” I narrowed my eyes at Naruto. “We’re a team, remember?” I spoke up, scared of being ignored. 

“Hm. You think about teamwork now?” Sasuke asked Naruto, completely ignoring me. 

“Of course, Yasuho-chan. Come here too! Sate… It's gonna get ugly!” 

Zabuza chuckled. “You're well arrogant.. Do you think you have a chance against me?” 

“What are you doing? Run away, goddammit! Now that I’m a prisoner the fight is lost! Run away! Kids, our mission is to protect Tazuna-san! Did you forget about it?” 

“No way!” I shouted at him. “There's no way we run away from here! Zabuza can get us anytime, it's useless. Even if we succeed in running anyway from here there can be other ninjas and we’ll be killed anyways. There's also no way we abandon you! Aren't you the one bashing our heads off with teamwork and promises of not abandoning our comrades? Your order is hypocritical of you, Kakashi! I don't know how we’ll do this but if we all want to survive we have to be the ones to get you away from here!” I took deep breaths once I was done with my scolding, too aware of everyone looking at me. This monologue emotionally drained me out but Kakashi needed to be called out. 

The latter widened his eyes in shock at me at the end of my speech. Silence fell. 

“Old man..” Naruto turned toward Tazuna. 

“Nani?” Tazuna scoffed. “All of this is my fault. I will not force you to run away to save my skin. I’m really sorry for everything. So, listen to the girl and fight with everything you have!” 

“Hm. Did you hear?” Sasuke smirked at Zabuza. 

“Do your prayers!” 

Zabuza loudly laughed. Even his shoulders were shaking. “Superb speech and all but.. You do not understand yet..” 

“Na-nani?” Naruto grunted. 

“When will you stop playing ninja? Me, at your age…” Zabuza stared at his hand. “I already had my hands covered in blood.” 

Naruto and Sakura gasped. 

“Zabuza the demon..” Kakashi glared at him, finally recovered from my speech.

“Oh, it looks like my reputation has reached your ears.” 

“Once.. Kiri was called ‘the village of the bloody mist’... It was extremely difficult to become a ninja there.” Kakashi started to explain to us. 

“Hm. You should have heard about our graduation exam.” 

“Your ‘exam’?” asked Naruto. Zabuza only laughed in response. “Oi! Can we know about what kind of exam it is, dattebayo?” 

Zabuza kept mocking him. “A fight to death between the participants.” Naruto’s eyes widened in shock. “The students were placed in groups of two and were set to confront each other… until one of them perished. All of that between young kids who shared their meals, dreams and aspirations.” 

“I hate this universe..” I whispered slowly, chewing on my lip. This was so fucked up. 

“That's horrible..” Sakura commented. 

“But ten years ago, the modalities of the exam had to be largely modified. This reform was decided after the apparition of a ‘demon’, one year before.” Kakashi added. 

“A reform? Why? What did this demon do?” asked the pink-haired girl. 

“Without an ounce of hesitation and not a remorse, this kid, who didn't have his ninja diplom yet, exterminated the hundred of candidates who were doing the exam this year.” 

Zabuza who had stayed silent during Kakashi’s explanation finally spoke up. “What a good memory, this exam…” 

All of a sudden he lowered his gaze at us and shunshined in front of us. He kicked Sasuke in the chest, making him fall on the ground before elbowing him right in the stomach. Sasuke cried in pain and let out a gulp of blood out of his mouth. 

I tensed and got next to Naruto, ready to try to defend him.

“Sasuke-kun!” Sakura cried out. 

Zabuza forcefully put his foot on Sasuke’s stomach and continued to plant his heel, making the boy cry in pain and blood fall from his mouth. 

“Die!”

“Kuso! Kage Bunshin no jutsu!” Dozens of Naruto’s clones appeared around Zabuza and Sasuke. 

“Oh, a kage bunshin! Well done.” Zabuza released Sasuke and gave a glance at the bunshins around him but he wasn't feeling threatened at all. 

“Let's go!” Naruto’s clones shouted, each one of them taking a kunai in their hands. All of them jumped to surround and stab the kiri nin. 

I decided to take advantage of Naruto’s distraction to shunshin and get Sasuke away from them. I quickly appeared in front of him, startling him out, and grabbed him to reappear next to a completely terrified Sakura. 

Sasuke was about to insult me (I guessed seeing his glare) when he was stopped by Zabuza’s war cry. The man stood up and lifted his sword, throwing in the air the bunshins who all latched into him. 

“Decidedly, he’s too strong for you. You have no chance to beat him!” Tazuna spoke up in fright. 

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Yes, but we just need to save Kakashi-sensei. He’s the one who will beat him.” 

“Sasuke!” I heard Naruto’s call for the Uchiha and turned to see him throw a Fûma Shuriken at the Uchiha from where he was sliding on the ground. 

It nearly stabbed me but Sasuke quickly grabbed it and smirked. He glanced at me with a knowing look and we both went into a fighting stance. 

If I could remember well, the shuriken was a henge of Naruto. I eyed it, still baffled by the fact that he could transform himself into a weapon. Nevertheless, I was thankful I could be ready to help them and follow Naruto’s plan thanks to my speed. 

“Fûma Shuriken! Kage bunshin!” Sasuke announced his technique making me shake my head. He probably felt cool but.. Why did they felt compelled to announce what they were going to do to the enemy? I thought ninjas were all about stealthiness and secrets. 

“It's not with this that you will get me.” 

Sasuke ignored Zabuza and jumped in the air. He threw the shuriken with a war cry but the shuriken completely avoided Zabuza’s clone and went directly toward the real one. 

I flexed my knees and waited for the right moment to do the shunshin.

“You're underestimating me!” Zabuza growled, catching the fûma shuriken. He made a surprised sound when another one suddenly appeared from behind the first one and attacked Zabuza upfront. Zabuza jumped to avoid it. “You need to do more to get me.”

“Hm.” Sasuke smirked next to me. 

I took it as a signal and took advantage of the distraction as the kunai suddenly transformed into one of Naruto behind Zabuza. I quickly shunshined, unnoticed, and passed the first clone who was too busy watching in shock Naruto throw a kunai at his real version. 

I appeared right next to Kakashi’s prison as Naruto screamed “Take this!” 


	8. Sharingan no Kakashi

I grabbed Kakashi’s arm and shunshined out of the lake as soon as Zabuza broke the jutsu by taking out his arm in order to avoid Naruto's kunai. I ignored Kakashi’s surprised glance and heavy weight and appeared at the edge of the lake, completely out of breath. It was safe now that Zabuza’s bunshin disappeared I don't know where. 

“You fucking midgets!” Zabuza glared between Naruto and I but opted to concentrate his attention on Naruto who was still with him. 

Kakashi suddenly shunshined next to him and took Zabuza’s hit destined to Naruto right on his hand.

“Dammit I did this for nothing!” I cried out.

Where they even serious? We had a plan! I shunshined again and grabbed Naruto who had fell on the water right under my arm while Kakashi glared darkly at Zabuza. I gulped, glad that I wasn't the one subjected to such a glare and shunshined again at edge of the lake, completely tired. 

“Kakashi-sensei!” Sakura cried in awe. 

Naruto smiled next to me and I couldn't help but smile tiredly seeing that our plan worked and that Kakashi was back again in action. 

“Naruto, your stratagem was excellent. You did a lot of progress, all the four of you.” 

“Hehehe.” Naruto snickered. “My kage Bunshin wasn't destined to kill Zabuza but do a diversion to transform into a shuriken, dattebayo!” Naruto grinned at Kakashi’s back, pointing a thumb at himself. “I kept one bunshin and transformed into a shuriken… Then my bunshin threw me like this at Sasuke. By receiving me, he immediately understood that it was me. He took his own shuriken to try a kage shuriken. I hid in the shadow of the shuriken and threw myself toward Zabuza. Of course, I didn't think I could vanquish him like this. I only wanted to break the Water Prison Jutsu but Yasuho-chan perfectly followed the plan without knowing anything and took Kakashi-sensei with her! I also pulverized his mizu bunshin! Ha! It worked very well, dattebayo!” 

I patted him on the shoulder in congratulations for the success of his plan. That boy did take after his father after all. 

“You were very lucky.” I could hear Sasuke’s ‘full of himself’ tone from behind us. 

“Do you call this luck?” Tazuna yelled at him. 

“See, Kakashi-sensei. It was all thanks to teamwork!” I smirked at him. I hoped he was still thinking about my speech. 

“Eh!” Zabuza laughed. “What an idiot, I got carried away and released the prison.. You're lucky, girl. Or else I’d have immediately killed you as soon as you stepped a foot on the lake.” 

“No. You're not the one who released the jutsu, it's them who forced you to.” Kakashi darkened his glare. Zabuza groaned. Naruto snickered next to me. “I’m warning you.. You will not beat me two times with the same jutsu.” blood fell out of Kakashi’s hand. “Now, what do you plan on doing?”

I tensed and grabbed Naruto again to join the others in protecting Tazuna as Kakashi’s and Zabuza’s glaring contest intensified.

“Stay in position!” Sasuke called out to us and we put ourselves in front of the old man, ready to protect him. 

Zabuza’s eye suddenly twitched and Kakashi let out a pained noise when more strength was put into the blade cutting his hand. Kakashi then put more force than Zabuza and threw the blade away into the lake. Both of them jumped backward into the air. Zabuza did a mudra and seeing Kakashi’s face I immediately knew his Sharingan was memorizing it. 

Naruto gasped next to me. 

“Sharingan!” Sasuke’s eyes widened. 

“Ox-Monkey-Hare-Rat-Pig-Bird-Ox-Horse-Bird-Rat-Tiger-Dragon-Tiger-Snake-Ox-Goat-Snake-Pig-Goat..” Zabuza started his famous hella complicated jutsu. My head hurt just thinking about memorizing the seals. 

Kakashi immediately started imitating him thanks to Obito’s sharingan. “Ox-Monkey-Hare-Rat-Pig-Bird-Ox-Horse-Bird-Rat-Tiger-Dragon-Tiger-Snake-Ox-Goat-Snake-Pig-Goat..” 

They continued like this during a long ass time while still standing on the lake making it become comical. I remember laughing when I first saw this for the first time and I’d laugh too now if I wasn't involved in the situation. 

Water started bubbling in front of them and they suddenly shouted. “Bird! Suiton!  Suiryūdan no Jutsu!” 

Two enormous dragons of water jumped right out of the lake and jumped in the air. They intertwined in parallel and attacked each other, creating a tsunami. I gasped and tightly closed my eyes while Naruto and Sakura screamed next to me when a mini tsunami fell on us. The attacks were so spectacular I couldn't help but be in awe. The dragons kept their attacks and splashed water everywhere. We were completely drenched at this point. I wanted to joke and say that it was like being at a water park but I didn’t think that it would be well received and that those existed in this world so I kept my mouth shut.

Zabuza and Kakashi threw themselves at each other, legendary sword against a simple kunai. Zabuza was too shocked due to having to face the terrible efficiency of the Sharingan to really fight. 

I suddenly felt someone watching us and quickly turned to glance at where it came from, suspecting without any doubt that it was Haku checking on his master. But when I did turn the figure retreated and I decided to do nothing and wait for dealing with him when Kakashi’s and Zabuza’s fight will end. If Haku decided to attack now we were done. 

Kakashi and Zabuza jumped backward, they started running around each other and joined the other’s opposite place. 

“What's happening?” asked Sakura. 

I smirked. “He’s copying and imitating each of his movements to fuck with his mind.” I told the others and they gasped in surprise. Zabuza and Kakashi did the seal for the Kirigakure jutsu at the same time. “Look, they're doing the same movements.” 

“It's mega-exactly at the same time!” Tazuna sat down in shock. 

Zabuza and Kakashi lowered their arms. 

“Each of your movements.” Kakashi feigned reading Zabuza’s thoughts, shocking the latter. They did a seal. “It's putting shivers down your spine.. right?” 

Zabuza groaned, affirming Kakashi’s guess. He laughed nervously and did another seal. I could see a vein popping on his forehead. “You're just copying me.” 

“It will not be enough to beat me, poor imitator!” They spoke up loudly at the same time. 

Zabuza growled at this and started another series of seals, eyes now bloodshot. “Enough! I’m gonna make you shut up once and for all.”

When they were done an illusion of Zabuza doing the seals appeared right by Kakashi’s side, just like a stand! I could see drops of sweat on Zabuza’s face. I refrained from laughing seeing his terrified face. Kakashi truly was fucking with his mind and I lived for this. 

The Hatake did a series of seals and shouted “Suiton! Daibakufu no jutsu!” 

“N-nani?!” I didn't know what was happening but seeing the missing nin’s reaction it must be due to the Sharingan. 

An arc of water appeared in front of Kakashi and grew until the giant wave submerged everything around a screaming Zabuza who disappeared under the torrent of water. 

Sasuke and Sakura screamed as the water was also low key submerging us and I had to grab Naruto’s vest since the boy was taken away by the stream or else he’ll drawn too. The force of the waterfall’s impact was so strong I had to close my eyes and the strands of hair who fell out my ponytail were getting in my mouth. I wondered in surprise how my hitae ate stayed firm on my forehead.

I opened my eyes again when groans of pain were suddenly heard and saw Zabuza against a tree with kunais planted on his arms, stabbing him into it. Kakashi was the one who did it as he was right above him perched on one of the tree’s branches. 

“It's done.” he slowly said. 

I refrained from whistling seeing how the torrent of water destroyed the forest around us. Who said ninjas were ecologists? They destroyed as much as we did in my world. The torrent of water then retracted right back into the lake leaving a huge crater and fallen trees everywhere. It looked like a natural disaster has just occurred.

“How did you did it?” Zabuza glared at Kakashi. “Does your eye allows you to see the future?”

“Exactly.. and I see your death coming!” Kakashi lifted his kunai in order to fulfill his prophecy but was stopped from delivering the killing blow by senbons sent by Haku stabbing Zabuza directly in the neck. 

I flinched at the sheer violence and had to remind myself that Zabuza wasn't really dead when I felt bile rise up in my throat seeing him drop dead on the ground. Yeah, I became a ninja and we needed to kill people but it didn't meant I wanted to do it and see it. I’d avoid it as much as I could. I couldn’t help if the act of murder was still a taboo too ingrained in me even though it was an act so freely done and spoke about here. 

The others next to me gasped in surprise and even Kakashi made a surprised noise and turned his head at where the senbons came from. I lifted my head and saw Haku standing on a tree branch in all of his creepy glory. Sorry but the boy was creepy in his mask. 

He chuckled. “Effectively. Here he is, good as dead.” 

Silence fell among us as we all stared at the newcomer. It lasted a few moments before Kakashi jumped off the tree and joined Zabuza’s side. He put his fingers on his neck and felt for his pulse. “I confirm, he's really dead.” 

I sighed. Was it a good idea to warn Kakashi right now of Zabuza’s fake death? Choices… I thought on it for a few seconds and decided to say nothing. Perhaps warning him was the right thing to do but Kakashi wouldn't be in good shape to fight Haku right now. If the boy felt threatened and decided to attack us we’d be as good as dead. I loudly sighed. How great it was to know what will happen if I couldn't avoid certain things? 

“Thanks, you really helped me. I’ve been looking for the occasion of killing Zabuza for a long time.” Haku bowed at Kakashi and thanked him. 

At least he was a great actor. 

“This mask… You're a hunter-nin from Kirigakure.” 

“It's exact.. You're well informed.” 

Naruto became agitated and jumped in front of us. “A ‘hunter’?” 

“You don't even know what it is? You learned it at the Academy. Hunter-nins are assassins charged to track and eliminate ninjas who, like Zabuza, decided to desert the village in which they grew up.” Sakura started to explain. I glanced at Sasuke, who feigned not listening, at the 'desert their village' part. I shook my head, thinking about this can of worms will just get me a headache. “It's so they can protect the secrets of their village. Everybody knows it. You could study more seriously.” the pink-haired girl finished by scolding him. 

“Yes, I am a part of the hunter-nin’s squad of Kirigakure.” Haku confirmed in a sweet and low voice. 

I looked at him appreciatively. I liked him Before. He had a sense of peacefulness and gentleness around him even though he was a trained killer. His chakra reeked of protectiveness and love for Zabuza. I hoped he won't die this time around. 

Naruto ran in front of him, still agitated. He glanced at Zabuza’s body, which I was heavily avoiding since his gaze void of life creeped me out, and turned back to Haku who only stared at him in silence. Naruto glanced again at Zabuza’s body and groaned at Haku. 

“But who are you anyway, dattebayo?” the Uzumaki yelled in anger and pointed his finger at the other boy, surprising Sasuke and Sakura next to me. Naruto took heavy gulps of air. Haku said nothing. “Yes, you, up there!” 

“Don't worry, Naruto! It's not an enemy.” Kakashi stood up and tried to reassure him. 

Naruto turned to our sensei. “It's not what I wanna know! Look at this! How did he kill Zabuza? Him who seemed so invincible!” Kakashi started to walk toward him. “He isn't older than me and he killed him in less than a sec, though! We seem ridiculous next to him!” Naruto cried in jealousy. “I can't believe it!” 

Kakashi stopped in front of him, hands in his pockets. “Mah, I can understand your astonishment… But.. it is the reality.” the silver-haired man patted Naruto’s head like he was one of his dogs. I smiled. That was his way of showing his affection. “There exist in this world kids even younger than you who are way stronger than me.” he glanced at us. 

Sasuke let out a shocked noise next to me and scowled. I glanced at him questioningly but he said nothing. He must have thought of Itachi. 

Naruto groaned and turned his head in resignation. 

Haku shunshined and appeared at Zabuza’s side. He took the older man over his back and shoulder, supporting him. “Your fight is done for the moment..” Yeah, that wasn't ominous at all. “I will take care of making this body disappear. See, it contains a lot of secrets..” he could lie better. “On this, I'm out.” he shunshined again and disappeared from our view. 

I shook my head. I couldn't believe Kakashi let them go away like this but he must have felt that we were done for if he called them on their bullshit just like I did.

Naruto gasped. “He disappeared.”

Kakashi tiredly sighed and finally lowered his hitai-ate over Obito's sharingan. I approached him innocently (I hoped), ready to catch him as I remembered him fainting due to chakra exhaustion. It was better than him dropping dead on the ground. 

Naruto suddenly ran toward where Haku and Zabuza used to be. 

“He's far away.” Kakashi called out to him. 

Naruto trembled and knelt dramatically on the ground. I blinked as he started punching the ground. “What does it mean, dattebayo? Why make all these efforts, dattebayo?” he yelled and kept punching the ground. 

Yeah, they really needed psychiatrists in Konoha. 

“Naruto..” Sakura mumbled behind me. 

“Kuso! Kuso! Kuso! Kuso!” 

Kakashi and I walked toward the orange boy and each one us grabbed an arm of his, stopping him from continuing to punch the ground. 

“Oi, stop!” I scolded him, worried for his mental health. 

“It happens to every ninja. Try to remember the lesson..” Kakashi told him in an even tone, releasing his arm. 

I released him too but put my hand on Naruto’s shoulder in comfort. 

“Our mission is not finished yet.” Kakashi turned toward the rest of our group. “We still need to escort Tazuna-san to his home!” 

Tazuna laughed and lifted his straw-hat. “Mega-sorry for this delay! But you could rest at my home!” he proposed eagerly. 

“Yosh. Let's go, everyone!” Kakashi ordered in fake cheer but I could see his exhaustion. 

He started walking and I put myself right behind him while Naruto stood up ready to follow the Hatake, waiting for him to faint so I could catch him. All of a sudden, Kakashi stopped walking, alerting me. He started to fall forward but I quickly ran and hold him by the waist, stopping him from falling head first on the ground. I put his arm around my shoulder and his head was on top of mine. 

“But… What happened to him?” Sakura asked me as she ran toward us with Sasuke and Tazuna in tow.

“Kakashi-sensei..” Naruto cried. 

I sighed. Damn, Kakashi was heavy. “It looks like he fainted from Chakra Exhaustion. He used his Sharingan too much. It's nothing bad, at least for the moment. We just need to quickly go to Tazuna’s house so he could rest and replenish his Chakra levels. He won't die if we let him rest properly so that's that.” 

“That's good to hear!” Naruto exclaimed but still looked worried at Kakashi. 

“Hm.” Sasuke was a boy of few words. 

“Hai. Let's go!” said Tazuna and he started to walk. 

“Wait!” I winced in pain. Kakashi was too heavy and I didn't have enough strength and chakra left to transport him alone all the way. “Naruto, please. Could you create a kage bunshin if you still have enough chakra and transform him into a stretcher or something and make other kage bunshins transport him. It could be easier because Kakashi-sensei is really heavy. I think I'm gonna drop him soon.” 

“Ah!” he cried out and quickly made the tiger seal. “Of course I can do this Yasuho-chan!” he grinned at me and quickly followed my instructions. 

Now that Kakashi's sudden fainting was dealt with, we finally departed from that god forsaken forest and we all tiredly trekked toward Tazuna’s house. I was so glad Zabuza and Kakashi’s fight finally ended. It felt like their confrontation lasted hours and hours. I also couldn't say I was eager to see them again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It'd be nice if you could please leave some reviews! I need to know your opinions!


	9. Chakra

“Are you sure you’re okay, sensei?” 

“Yes, I will just need a week to recover.” 

“Then you better stay in bed!”

“Um, yes…” 

We all looked at each other and quickly joined Kakashi’s room when we heard him and Tazuna’s daughter, Tsunami, talk. He was lying on his back and staring at the ceiling. 

“Oh, you're awake, dattebayo!” Naruto exclaimed in joy seeing Kakashi finally conscious. 

Sakura joined Kakashi’s side and knelt next to his futon. “Well.. The Sharingan may be very efficient but don't use it so lightly.” 

I nodded and crossed my arms over my chest while Naruto and Sasuke knelt in front of Kakashi’s futon “She’s right. We could have been attacked without you. Be careful next time.” I joined them but sat in my old western way, right on my butt, causing Sasuke to glance at me questioningly. 

“Sorry.” Kakashi kept staring at the ceiling. 

“Mah, in any case..” Tazuna spoke up. “Now that he's dead, we won’t be disturbed for the moment.”

As if. 

“I’m still wondering who was that masked hunter-nin.” Sakura put her thumb and index on her chin in thought. 

“He was wearing the mask of Kirigakure’s secret unit, ANBU.” Kakashi answered her monotonously. 

“Secret unit?” Sakura asked. 

“We call them the undertaker squad.. their job is to make disappear missing-nin’s bodies. These bodies can reveal many secrets such as their village’s ninjutsus, the nature of their chakra or the composition of secret ointments. If, by example, I died, people will hurry to do an autopsy to examine my Sharingan. An enemy will then risk his life to steal all the techniques I have learned. The role of these hunters is to eliminate defectors and make their bodies disappear to avoid that their village’s secrets filter out.” 

I sighed since Kakashi’s long ass explanation bored me. Why did they feel the need to repeat everything here? We already talked about this yesterday. 

Kakashi suddenly sat up and put a hand over his face and zoned out, deep in thought. He probably guessed that Zabuza wasn't really dead. 

“What’s wrong sensei, dattebayo?”

“Hm?” Kakashi focused back on us. He straightened his back and took his hand off of his face. “To go back to our conversation… Usually, the Undertaker squad deal with the body immediately, without waiting.” 

“And what?” Sakura asked. 

“This masked boy.. what did he do to Zabuza’s body?”

“Well, we don't know. He disappeared, taking the body with him!” the pink-haired girl answered. 

“Exactly.. His head largely sufficed as proof for his death. And remember the weapon he used to kill Zabuza..” 

“A Simple senbon..” Sasuke suddenly spoke up. “But then..” 

“Hm. You understood where I’m getting at.” 

“Huh?” Naruto was hella confused. 

“But what are you talking about?” Tazuna asked desperately. 

“It's extremely probable that Zabuza is still alive.” 

Tazuna, Sakura and Naruto cried in shock. 

“Eh?” I heard Tsunami ask. 

I cleared my throat and decided to speak up. “Ahem, I knew Zabuza was not dead.” I quickly continued seeing Kakashi’s sharp look. “I can feel the general impressions of Chakra. I still faintly felt his disturbed Chakra even though he looked dead but I said nothing. I didn't want the Hunter-nin to attack us since he was way stronger than us and you were in no shape to go into another fight. Sorry.. I should have said it sooner.” I pinched my hand and stared at it, anxious of their reactions. It wasn’t like I lied but I sure as hell didn’t use my sensing to know if he survived or not.

“What did you say, dattebayo?” Naruto asked me, still confused. 

I cleared my throat. “I meant, I knew that he wasn't dead and I’m sorry I kept it for myself thinking firstly of our team’s survival.” I heard my voice break. I didn't want to be in trouble. 

“You said you can feel Chakra, Yasuho?” Kakashi asked in a neutral voice. 

“Hai, sensei.. but I can only faintly feel its impression and what the person is feeling.” I answered in a quiet voice.

“Hm. You did good.. thinking firstly about the team.. But you should have told me that you could sense Chakra sooner.” I lifted my head to look at him and saw him sending me a genuine eye smile. “You’re not gonna get in trouble, don’t worry.” He sure as hell was going to report this to the Hokage. 

“Thank you, sensei.” I felt my cheeks heat up in embarrassment. 

“But sensei, you made sure of checking if he was dead or not, no?” asked Sakura. 

“Of course! But.. it was without any doubt just a lethargy. Like Yasuho said, she could still sense his chakra. Even if it was faint. I'm not a sensor, I couldn't have known. The senbons used by this so-called hunter are deadly only if you touch directly a vital point. These are instruments used for acupuncture treatment. Members of the unit of Hunters are experts in anatomy. They can easily make someone fall into a lethargic state. Firstly, due to his weight, it could have been more logical to make his body disappear on site. Secondly, the senbons used by him aren't really convincing. The more I think about it, the more I tell myself that this boy didn't intervene to kill Zabuza but to save him.” 

“You're worrying for nothing.” Tazuna said. 

I admired Tazuna’s naivety. I was like this in what felt like a lifetime ago. I missed being an innocent civilian, bro.. 

“No. ‘Always be on guard and take the lead’. It's one of the golden rules of shinobi.” 

I sighed, Kakashi, your pre-Obito’s death was showing. 

Naruto next to me started shivering with eagerness. His fist was raised toward the ceiling. He looked barely able to refrain himself from running and fight Zabuza again. 

Kakashi hummed and stared at him. 

“Sensei. Taking the lead is nice and all but, what will we do? You can't move.” 

Kakashi chuckled evilly. “I'm gonna train you!” 

I hummed appreciatively. I wondered what I will learn since I already learned alone and way before graduating how to walk on trees. 

“Wait a minute!” Sakura panicked. “Even if we train, we will never be at their level! Even you, with your Sharingan, you struggled to overcome him!” 

“Sakura… Who helped me against Zabuza? You did a dazzling progress. All of you.” Kakashi spoke up. I refrained from saying that she did nothing, it wouldn't be good for teamwork. “You in particular, Naruto.” 

“Huh?” Naruto closed his eyes in heavy confusion making me chuckle. 

Kakashi lowered his face toward him and did an eye smile. “It's you who progressed more.” he gently added, proud of him. 

Naruto took a small breath. I glanced at him and smiled seeing a genuine smile on his face due to the compliment. I was so proud of him! I wanted to hug him, he was so cute. 

“You're really observant, sensei! It will become funny, dattebayo!” Okay, his arrogant side wasn't cute. 

“I don't think that's funny at all.” A small voice spoke from behind us. 

We all turned and glanced behind us questioningly. Ah, I wondered where was Inari. 

“Who are you?” asked Naruto. 

“Oh, Inari! Where were you?” asked Tazuna in a sudden sweet voice. 

Inari ran to him and hugged the old man. “Okairi, jii-chan.” 

The black-haired woman scolded him, hands over her hips. “Inari! Say hello to our guests! They are ninjas who escorted your grandfather.” 

The latter caressed his grandson’s hat. “Mah, it's okay. Huh, Inari?” he smiled at Tsunami. 

The midget in question sent us a glare. It was so non-threatening coming from such a small child who was barely taller than three apples that I wanted to laugh at him. I felt likr I was being threatened by my cat.

He then turned toward his mother. “Kaa-chan, they're all going to die. They have no chance against Gatô.” 

Naruto suddenly stood up in anger and started screaming. “Repeat that, you little brat! Listen to me! I’ll become Hokage, the greatest of all ninjas, a superhero!” I loved him but I was tired of hearing him say that he wanted to become Hokage to absolutely everything that breath. “This Gatô,” I snorted hearing him say this so seriously. “I’ll have him for breakfast! Understand?” 

I had to put my hand on my mouth in order not to laugh hearing him say that. Gatô still meant cake for me. The joke was too easy. I ignored Kakashi and Sasuke’s worried looks. 

Inari scoffed. “There's no such thing as superheroes! It doesn't exist!” 

“What?” Naruto nearly jumped to hit him. 

Sakura and I had to physically restrain him. 

“Calm down!” Sakura ordered. 

Inari started to leave and turned toward us. “If you care about your life, go away from here rapidly.” 

I released Naruto and simply stared at the boy. He wasn't worth arguing with. 

“Where are you going, Inari?” 

Inari halfway opened the mat door and stopped to answer his grandfather. “I'm gonna watch the sea..” 

I whistled as he left. “Damn, Sasuke. Looks like you have a competitor against you in the emo category.” I laughed seeing his glare. 

Tazuna turned to us. “Excuse him.” 

Naruto groaned. “I’m gonna join him!” 

I blinked while Tazuna shrugged and Sakura released him. He then went to join the boy and probably attempt to do him a Talk no Jutsu. 

~~~~ 

“Well, we will start the training.” Kakashi announced as we finally joined a clearing in the forest surrounding Tazuna's village.

The poor man was in crutches since he barely recovered from his Chakra Exhaustion™. I suffered once from Chakra Exhaustion due to too much training and I couldn't say it was pleasing even though, thanks to that, I knew that I had average chakra coils and could only do five shunshin in one go. 

“Yeah!” Naruto exclaimed. 

Kakashi lifted a finger. “But first of all… We will need to review the basics of Chakra, the key to a Ninja’s power.”

“No.. not again..” I heavily sighed. I was tired of these explanations for the readers and anime viewers. 

“What a drag..” Sasuke also sighed, eyes closed. 

“Your inner Shikamaru is showing, Sasuke. But damn, what a mood.” 

The Uchiha next to me ignored me. 

“I see very well what it is, dattebayo. It's the famous ‘Chatra!’” Naruto happily said, making me snort a laugh. 

Kakashi’s face dropped. “It's ‘Chakra’!” he looked at the pink-haired girl and pointed at her with his right hand. “Hai. Explain to him, Sakura.” 

Sakura put her hands on her hips. “Well, since it's not obvious, I’m going to simplify it for you. Chakra is energy needed by shinobi to use their jutsu. It is composed of physical energy produced by each of our cells…” 

I turned off Sakura’s explanation. I was tired of hearing the same thing again and again. 

Chakra was a thing extremely peculiar to me since I came from an universe where it didn't exist at all. I lived 19 years without it and being here made my perception of things and life completely change. I generally tried to avoid thinking about it since it just made my brain hurt, though. I was glad it worked and that was enough for me even though it felt like I had an extra limb when I started to use it. Thankfully, I quickly adapted. 

“That's exact! Eh, Iruka-sensei was a lucky man having you as a student.” Kakashi broke my line of thought. 

“I don't understand a thing of your gibberish! Anyway, it's something we learn with practice!” 

“Naruto’s right.. By the way, we already know how to perform jutsus.” Sasuke added. 

“Think again. You're far from having mastered your Chakra!” 

“Nani?” Naruto yelled at Kakashi. 

I winced. I ought to teach him how to use his indoor voice someday.. 

“Mah, listen to me. As Sakura explained to you.. ‘molding chakra’ consists of..” 

I zoned out, completely turning off Kakashi’s explanation. I couldn't wait for them not to need to explain absolutely everything, damn. 

“What do we need to do, then?” Naruto laughed and scratched his nape in confusion, making me focus again on what was happening. 

“To learn how to control your Chakra.. you need to subject yourself to a particularly risky and tiring training.” Kakashi announced dramatically making Naruto sweat next to me. 

His dramatic and ominous announcement didn't scared me at all since I already knew how to do all of that. I snickered internally. I couldn't wait to see their faces when they will realize that. 

“What is it exactly?” asked Sakura. 

“Hm.” Kakashi lifted a finger. “Climb on trees.” 

“‘Climb on trees?’” The genin, except me, all repeated in confusion. 

“Exactly! But it's not a simple climbing. It will be without the hands.” he took his hands off of his crutches 

“How?” asked Sakura, voice full of skepticism. 

Naruto and Sakura stayed silent, waiting for Kakashi’s answer. 

“Mah… Demonstration!” he did a hand seal to concentrate and coat Chakra under his feet to make them stuck on any surface. 

He then walked slowly, still with the help of his crutches, toward the tree next to me. He firmly put a foot on its surface making Naruto gasp.  Following that the Hatake calmly walked toward the top of the tree, in parallel with the ground, as if he was still on it. Newton would be crying over this total fuck to gravity. I quietly chuckled. Kakashi did not give a fuck about anything and I lived for this. 

“He’s climbing..” Naruto pointed the obvious out in a surprisingly subdued voice. 

“Vertically.. And without his hands!” Sakura continued. 

Kakashi was now perfectly standing, right under a branch. “And this is how it works.. If you want to adhere to the trunk, coat your Chakra under your feet. Here is the result of a good control of your Chakra.” he finished by eye smiling. 

“Not so quick! How climbing to trees will make us stronger?” Sakura frowned a him. 

“I was just about to explain. The objective of this training is to make you learn how to..” I heavily sighed and turned him off. Again. It was really hard knowing everything. “Anyway. A little of theory is good, but it's not enough. Learning with the body is the best way to do it.” he threw a kunai in front of each one of us. “With those kunais, you'll trace a mark on the trunk as high as possible. Then, do your utmost to go higher at each trial. As you’re still not able to master your Chakra, take momentum in time to do a few progress. Understood?” Kakashi talked so much I started to worry thinking about all the blood going into his brain since he was upside down. 

We all took a kunai in front of us. 

“I can eat this kind of training for breakfast, dattebayo!” Naruto pointed his finger at Kakashi. “Because I'm the one who progressed the fastest!”

“Enough talking! Quickly find a tree and climb it!” Kakashi cut him off. Naruto growled and did the hand seal. “Mah, wait! Since Yasuho didn't listen to any of my explanation, I think I’ll do you the honor of being the first to try to climb a tree, don't you think?” Kakashi eye smiled at me with promises of humiliation making me smirk at him. 

“Alright.” I kept my smirk ignoring the others' looks and molded Chakra under my feet.  It took me one month to master it since I was new to Chakra but now I could perfectly adhere to the ground on instinct. Same thing with water. I cheekily smiled at Kakashi and calmly went to the tree where he was still standing upside down without any momentum. I ignored the others’ gasps of surprise and sent another smirk at Kakashi seeing his widened eyes while I calmly joined his side under the branch.  “Hm. Did you wanted to humiliate me to make an example of why we should always listen to you even when we already heard a hundred times what you were talking about? And especially when we already knew how to do it?” I sent him a fake eye smile worthy of him. 

He didn't have any time to answer when Naruto suddenly shouted. “How? How did you already know how to do it?” 

“Yeah. Genins learn that after graduation.” Sasuke added in a clipped tone, glaring at me. 

Okay, I should probably try not to provoke Sasuke’s inferior/superior complex again. 

“I read about it on the library and saw a bunch of other ninja do it so I told myself that it wouldn't be bad to be advanced on this if I wanted to graduate.” I lied. It wasn't like I could say that I saw them learn it on TV and that it was better to learn it beforehand. “It's as simple as that. Took me one month, though.” 

“Hm.” was Sasuke’s very eloquent reaction. 

“You could have told me about it!” Naruto cried. 

“Sorry, Naruto. I completely forgot..” I sighed. That was true. It could have helped him but I was too troubled at the time to think about it. 

“Well, watch me do it now, dattebayo!” he exclaimed. He then immediately started to concentrate Chakra under his feet and fell into silence. 

Sasuke and Sakura sent me a brief glance and quickly followed him. 

“Mah, Yasuho.. You sure seem to know a lot of things others don't.” Kakashi’s quiet voice broke the silence but I was the only one who could hear him. He was watching me with a blank look. 

Shit. Why was he suspicious all of a sudden? He couldn't possibly know about my secret, right? I kept my face blank and shrugged. “I’m just a very observant person. I see things and go read about it, that's it.” 

He hummed. “To be honest, I’m impressed you learned how to walk on trees all alone in the span of a month while still not being an Academy graduate. Do you know how to walk on water?” 

I nodded. “It took me two weeks.” 

The look on his face showed me that he wanted to pat my head but he couldn't since he was still upside down and holding on his crutches to stand. “Don't do unsupervised training next time. You could have killed yourself.” 

“Hai, hai, sensei.” I smiled at him. It wasn't like I was always alone since ANBU was watching me at the time but I got what he meant. I remembered barely drowning at the beginning. 

Kakashi was about to say something when Naruto’s sudden determined scream cut him off. 

“Yosh! Here we go!” 

He, Sasuke and Sakura ran and started to climb. Naruto quickly fell on his back. Sasuke lasted more and marked the trunk before doing a back-flip but his feet made a part of the trunk explose. Naruto rolled on the ground while holding his head in pain making me chuckle. He was so dramatic. I heard Kakashi’s sigh next to me. Yup, there sure was a lot of differences between the two boys right now. 

“Your thing is super easy!” Sakura exclaimed. 

We all glanced at her. The girl was sitting on a tree branch situated on top of a tree right in opposite of Kakashi and I. 

“Sakura-chan!” Naruto cried. 

The girl giggled and stuck her tongue at him, blushing at the attention. 

“Oh! It really looks like men must bow down now. It's the girls who control their Chakra the best!” Kakashi taunted the boys making me sigh. 

“Awesome! You're so strong, Sakura! I always knew you were magic!” Naruto exclaimed in awe but his face quickly fell after. 

“Oi! I’m strong too, Naruto..” I faked whining.

I really didn't care but it was annoying seeing him only recognize Sakura’s accomplishment when what I did was better.. You know, learning that after barely discovering I could use Chakra at all and all that.. I sighed. Jealousy wasn't good for me. 

“Tch.” Thus spoke the great Uchiha Sasuke. 

“See, they know their Chakra lessons but they also know very well how to control and measure it.” Kakashi eye smiled at the boys. “In a sense… It’s Yasuho and Sakura who are the closest to the title of Hokage.. In contrary to what certain people imagine! Also, I’m a little disappointed in the descendant of the Uchiha clan.” Kakashi taunted the boys a second time making me sigh once again. He wanted to make them compete but it was just unhealthy seeing their egos. 

“Enough! Urusai!” Sakura shouted and frowned at him, completely blushing. 

“Stop antagonizing us to make them jealous and compete, Kakashi-sensei. They can't do this right now because they have way more Chakra than us. And don't forget it took me a month. That was hella rude and it won't do them any good. You could have taunted them more gently and I’m sure it would have worked. The competition you're trying to make won't be healthy.” I frowned at Kakashi. I liked him very much and all but he was being an asshole right now. Said asshole sent me a pointed glance before continuing to watch the boys, not even bothering with answering me. I scoffed and crossed my arms over my chest. “Fine. If you wanna be that way it will be the cold war between us, Kakashi.” 

“Cold war? I’ve never heard of a war called like this. Are you referring to the war that happened in the Land of Frost?” He turned his head and narrowed his eyes at me. 

I simply lifted an eyebrow and closed my eyes while shrugging, deciding to completely ignore him. It was the cold war after all. I heard him sigh and I opened my eyes again when Naruto suddenly spoke up. 

“Yosh! First, I will try to get higher than Sasuke!” he stared in front of him and tightened his fists in determination. “Let’s see how it goes, dattebayo!” 

Sasuke said nothing and simply stared at him before concentrating on the tree in front of him. We could easily guess he was as determined as Naruto. 

I suddenly hummed to attract Kakashi’s attention, making a break in my one sided cold war. “We have a little stalker.” 

He hummed. “You felt him too.”

I just felt someone glaring at my back.  “Well, it's not like he's a trained shinobi trying to conceal his chakra. That boy is way too emo for that, anyway.” I snickered. Inari’s intensity was on a whole other level. “It's cute.” 

“Can't say it isn't.” Kakashi chuckled. 

~~~~ 

I was now sat down on the ground besides a still standing Kakashi, watching the others try to master their Chakra. 

Naruto let out a war cry for what felt like the hundredth time and fell again on the ground. I wondered how it was physically possible for him to have such a huge bump on his head. Also, how did he not break his neck yet?

Sasuke took rapid gulps of air, showing that he was tired. His tree was covered in marks and chakra explosions. 

Sakura was in front of her tree completely lied out in tiredness, taking short and rapid breaths.

The three of them were covered in grim from head to toe. They've been at it for hours but Naruto barely progressed. It made me annoyed seeing Sakura’s contempt when faced with this fact. 

“Enough!” he suddenly stood up and yelled at the air. He then walked toward Sakura, surprising her. “Ano sa, can you explain me how you do it?” he squatted down in front of her and hid his mouth like he was telling her a secret. I smiled, he was still just a kid. That was cute. “Tell nothing to Sasuke, ne, ne.” he kept talking but I didn't care enough to eavesdrop since he didn't ask for my help and I was feeling petty today. 

Sasuke stared at them silently from where he was kneeling. Ah! They were all so tiny! 

“I’m sure Naruto will become strong and fulfill his dream one day.” I quietly told Kakashi while I watched the Uzumaki send a grin at Sakura. “I don't have any doubt. He already has so much chakra.. Even more than you. I can't wait to see him progress and succeed.” 

Kakashi barely glanced at me as he kept watching Naruto. “That's exactly what I was thinking.” 

“Ano sa. Where can I get one of your masks?” I finally decided to ask him. I wanted to take one for what felt like forever but when I could finally afford it after graduating (the Hokage's monthly allowance for orphans barely covered everything I needed to pay for) I couldn't find it anywhere. 

“Oh, and why do you want one?” he finally turned his head toward me and sent me a fake cheerful eye smile. He must think I had a hidden motive. 

“Because I would like to have one and hid my face too. It's not like I want to emulate you, I quite like my personality and everything, but I’d feel better during my missions if no one except team seven knew how I look like. I like the anonymity.” the fact that I wanted to stay cool and mysterious like him went unsaid. 

He hummed and feigned thinking for a few minutes which almost made me annoyed but I was a patient person. Finally, he deigned to speak. “I’ll get you one or two when we go back to the village but then you'll have to do me a favor.” 

I hesitated during a few seconds. Kakashi could be an asshole sometimes. It almost wasn't worth it but the opportunity of finally having a mask like his was too good to be wasted. I stood up and clasped his rough but yet smooth, he's not wearing his gloves and I'm holding his hand please don't fangirl Yasuho, hand in mine. “That's a deal.” 

We both eye smiled at the other and kept clasping each other’s hand the more and more tense with each seconds that passed during a good minute until my hand hurt. Why did it felt like I just signed a pact with the Devil? I shook my head and sat down ignoring Kakashi’s covered smug smile. I just knew he had a smug on his face that precious bastard. I sighed in exasperation and grinned at him. I’d like to think we could call that deal the beginning of a great friendship between the both of us. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think that chapter is my favorite so far. It's so funny to write the interactions between Yasuho who's trying to appear cool and not fangirl in front of her ultimate favorite person and Kakashi who's definitely suspicious but can't help but appreciate his intriguing student. The fact that she looks like someone who used to be one of his precious people doesn't help him at all. Poor Kakashi. I'm really having fun writing them. Should I write a chapter with Kakashi's pov?


	10. Once Upon a Time There Was a Hero

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the small chapter :(  
> I wrote it on my phone so there's probably some typos don't pay attention

“So, Kakashi-sensei. What can I do since I already mastered walking on a tree and on water?” I yawned as I asked the Hatake.

It was tiring to watch Sasuke and Naruto fail. Sakura already mastered it and was lying against a tree, staring dreamily at Sasuke. 

“You watch them.” Kakashi didn't even bother with lifting his head out of his book. 

“I meant as in ‘what can I train in’.” I narrowed my eyes at him. 

He heavily sighed as if answering to me wasted him a great deal of energy, the bastard. “You like shunshin?” he asked still reading his book. 

“Yeah and what?” 

“Then run five hundreds laps around the clearing. When you're done do one hundred series of the katas improving speed and finish with trying to jump from tree to tree. You have to get way faster if you ever want to take Shisui’s title.” 

I gulped already feeling my muscles ache due to the sheer amount of physical training I would have to do but nodded and went to start the laps anyway, mumbling all the while different kind of threats against Kakashi’s smuts which were easily ignored by the jonin. 

“What can I do now that I’m finished, Kakashi-sensei?” Sakura asked him right after I started running. 

The man treated her just like he treated me when I asked him the same question. He kept reading his book. “Maah, someone has to go watch Tazuna-san while he's at the bridge. I assign you to it since you’re… more talented than your comrades.” 

Sakura squealed, not even seeing his obvious attempt at getting rid of her since he was too lazy to properly train her.

I sighed. That wasn't nice of him at all. He was lucky Tazuna wasn't attacked the first time around by a ninja working for Gatô while Sakura was watching him. Really, that was unconscious on so many levels.

He was also endangering Sakura’s life by not giving her a proper training but.. thinking about that it wasn't really his fault if Sakura was just happy spending her time stalking Sasuke and trying to please him instead of training correctly. He wasn't a personal coach. The man had enough issues and worries on a daily basis. Since a mere genin couldn't scold a jonin I decided to say nothing about that and perhaps try to give a wake up call to miss beauty there myself later. 

“Hai, sensei. See, Sasuke-kun! I’m talented enough to go watch Tazuna-san.” She blushed at Sasuke. 

The latter ignored her. I decided to turn them off completely in order to concentrate on my laps. I was just at the seventh and it's been five minutes. 

~~~~

The sun was now setting. I was just finished with Kakashi’s training. The man already left us one hour ago to rest at Tazuna’s house and the boys were still climbing their trees. I lied down on the ground in a star position, completely drenched in sweat. I was completely tired and aching absolutely everywhere. The only thing I could do was stare at the darkening sky, trying to regain my breath and curse my lack of stamina. 

A few minutes passed before I heard Naruto complain. “Kuso.. I can't believe it! I’m tired of it, dattebayo!” he yelled. 

I lifted my head, ignoring the aching in my shoulders. The boy was glaring at an out-of-breath Sasuke. Sasuke glared back and they both stood up to continue glaring at each other. Suddenly, Naruto let out a war cry and they both ran at full speed toward their own tree. 

“Yare yare..” I sighed and stood up, deciding to let them alone and join Tazuna’s house or else I would faint. I ignored the aching in my whole body and lifted my voice. “I’m gonna go, kids. Don't kill each other.” 

They both ignored me. too involved in their competition. I shook my head and slowly walked toward Tazuna’s house, wincing at each step. 

~~~~

Tazuna happily exclaimed. “Yah! It's the mega-party.” He startled me. I stopped eating and sent him a blank look at his sudden exclamation. “It's been a long time since I’ve seen such a meal!” he scratched his head. 

We were all eating dinner together. I was sat between Naruto and Kakashi. Sasuke and Inari were in front of us and Sakura and Tazuna were at the opposite ends of the table. Tsunami was still cooking something. I could barely lift my spoon and was almost snoozing in my bowl of rice. I was way too exhausted. I took a shower and a nap when I came home earlier and was ready to not wake up until tomorrow but Kakashi woke me when Naruto and Sasuke came back to eat dinner. Because of him, I was even more tired than before, since my body was asking for a real sleep. I had a hard time not falling asleep right there. 

I slowly turned my head and blinked tiredly between Naruto and Sasuke. Both boys were shoving food into their throats. I wondered if they even took the time to taste and chew what Tsunami cooked.

They both stood up at the same time and lifted their bowls. “Again!”

Then they glared at each other. I swore I saw sparks between them. They suddenly sat down and turned completely blue. I put my forehead against the table and closed my eyes when I saw them turn to throw up. 

“Ew.” I whined, feeling bile rise in my throat. 

“If it's to throw up everything, stop!” I winced while something hit the table and heard Sakura yell. 

“No, I have to eat.” Sasuke rebuked. 

“We need to eat, even though we have to force ourselves.” Naruto mumbled. “We need to quickly regain our strength!” 

I lifted my head and saw Kakashi nod. I was about to say something but decided otherwise, I was too tired for this shit. 

~~~~ 

Tsunami served me a tea. 

I smiled politely and refused. “Sorry, I’m too tired. It will just make me fall asleep right on the table and we don't want that.” I made ‘no’ gestures with my hand. “But thank you, though.” 

She smiled at me and served the tea to Naruto who happily accepted and drank it. “Mah, it's okay, dear.” She then returned to clean the plates. 

A few minutes passed with me trying not to fall asleep and waiting to be dismissed by Kakashi when Sakura suddenly stood up and went to look at the picture of their family right behind me. 

“Ano.. Why do you keep this old ripped picture in a frame?” Everyone stopped what they were doing to look at her. “Inari-kun kept looking at it during the whole dinner.” she turned toward us. “It looks like you purposely tore the part where stood the fourth person.” 

Inari, Tazuna and Tsunami all fell silent. 

Kakashi sent them a focused look. 

There was a pause before Tsunami spoke up, she didn't turn toward us. “He was my husband.” 

Tazuna adopted a worn look. “Once, everyone considered him as a hero.” 

Inari stood up and left the table. 

“Inari, where are you going?” his mother desperately asked him. 

Inari left and closed the door without a word, ignoring her. 

Tsunami left the kitchen to join him and stopped when the door was half opened to glare at her father. “Tou-san, I told you one hundred times not to speak of Kaiza in front of Inari.” she told him sternly before leaving. 

Our group fell silent, deep in thought. Only Tazuna’s shaky breathing was heard in the room.

“Why did Inari-kun left so brusquely?” 

I turned and narrowed my eyes at Sakura. “I’m too tired for this. But Sakura. Try to keep your mouth shut and think next time. Especially when it concerns things you have no involvement it. You're a smart girl and a ninja. The photo is torn.. you can easily guess the person is dead.” I didn't want to be harsh but I was cranky when sleep deprived and she wasn't helping it. 

Sakura gasped at me. “I didn't know!” 

I was about to respond but Kakashi put a hand on my shoulder. “Mah, calm down, Yasuho. You were right but don't go hard on your teammate.” I frowned at Kakashi but apologized nonetheless. Kakashi then looked at Tazuna and released my shoulder. “Could you explain?” 

Tazuna started to explain. “Inari had an adopted father. Both of them went along mega-well.” Naruto made a surprised noise at that. “At this moment, Inari was a small boy who always smiled.” Tazuna sobbed and started shaking. “But…” he paused and kept sobbing. “But..” a tear fell on the table’s surface, right between his hands. “He completely changed after this terrible affair. What happened that day destabilized Inari and every people here until it annihilated the smallest ounce of courage in them. Yes, all of this because of these awful events.” 

I yawned and tried not to fall asleep by politeness but it was hard at this point. Especially because there was another explanation I already knew. 

“What happened? What is it that traumatized Inari-kun?” Kakashi asked. 

“Before explaining to you what happened this day..” Tazuna took off his glasses and wiped his tears. “I have to start by telling you the story of our country's hero.” 

“Hero?” Naruto asked, head posed on his arm. 

“It was around three years ago..” Tazuna took his glasses back on his nose. “Inari was the first to know him.” Tazuna then told us about how Inari nearly drown to save a dog thrown by bullies into the ocean. “For information, Puppy perfectly knew how to swim, like every dogs.” We said nothing. He then told us how Kaiza saved him but I didn't care enough to pay attention to what he said closely. “This man was called Kaiza. He was a fisherman who came from another country with the hope of achieving his dreams. From this day Inari didn't leave him at all. The fact that his father left him explains why Inari was so attached to him. They were always together, inseparable.. Just like a father and a son. It didn't take too much time for Kaiza to become a real member of our family. Also, he was an indispensable man for our town..” he explained how he stopped a part of the village from being drowned. “From this day, everyone considered Kaiza as a hero.. and for Inari, he became a father he admired more than anything! It's at this time that Gatô started to take an interest in our country. And one night…” 

I hummed and lost the fight against sleep, falling asleep right on the table, head between my arms, soothed by Tazuna's voice. I was too exhausted for this. 

I suddenly woke up, almost jumping out of my chair as I was completely startled by Naruto's cry. I heard Kakashi giggle at my fright and ignored the childlike man to see what was up with Naruto. I rubbed my eyes as everything was blurry and saw Naruto lied on the ground on his stomach. 

“What are you doing, Naruto?” I drowsily asked. 

“You trained enough. You used up a lot of Chakra. Rest or you'll risk dying of exhaustion.” Kakashi told the Uzumaki in a serious tone. 

Naruto shakily got on his four limbs. “I’m gonna show him.” 

Tazuna made a questioning noise. 

“What are you talking about?” the pink-haired girl asked. 

Naruto slowly got on his four, still trembling with his whole body. “I’m gonna prove him for good that heroes exist!” The boy could barely contain his sheer determination. “Yeah, I’m gonna show him!” He exclaimed. 

I blinked at him. “Could it wait tomorrow?” He was about to respond but I continued. “Alright! I’m gonna go sleep because some people here are utterly tired and actually knows when it's time not to risk your health.” 

I ignored his reaction, quickly bid farewells to Kakashi and Tazuna and went to sleep as fast as I could. I hoped I stopped him from training the whole night and fainting in the woods but I doubted. Naruto’s determination was admirable but it could refrain him from thinking correctly sometimes. 

I fell asleep before my head even hit the pillow. 


	11. Zabuza's Return

“Good morning.” Sakura yawned and sat down at the table next to me. 

“Hi.” I yawned too. 

It was nearly one week after our arrival here. Zabuza could attack the bridge any day now. Unfortunately, I couldn't remember _when_ it would happen. I just knew it was after one week. 

All of us were sat down waiting for Sakura’s arrival to start eating breakfast, except for Naruto who was probably outside meeting Haku or something. 

Tsunami walked to Sakura and gave her a bowl of rice. “Here.” 

Sakura smiled at the dark-haired woman. “Thank you.” 

I heard scratching coming from Kakashi's direction and turned my head to see him scratch the metal plate of his glove in thought. I studied him. His chakra felt as tired as he looked. I couldn't wait for him to completely recuperate his chakra. I sighed and immediately started eating. 

“Naruto didn't come home last night?” Tazuna asked, looking at Kakashi. 

Sakura finished rubbing the tiredness from her eyes. “He’s as dumb as his feet.” I sent her a glare. “He spends his evenings climbing trees. He must be dead from Chakra Exhaustion by using it too much!” she finished in a ´I don't care’ voice making me click my tongue at her. 

I paused in my eating. “Don't say that. Have a little faith in your teammates. He has way too much chakra to die from Chakra Exhaustion, he must have fallen asleep. And Naruto’s smart in his own way.” I hissed at her. I didn't like her condescending tone, Naruto deserved better than that. 

She was about to speak but was cut off by Tsunami who came with a tray. “I worry for Naruto. A child should not be spending his nights outside.” She was right.

Kakashi suddenly spoke up. “Don't worry. He doesn't seem like it but he's a real ninja.” 

“You're the one saying that. For all we know the usuratonkachi is really dead.” Sasuke replied while doing his number one (1) Sasuke pose. I clicked my tongue, completely annoyed at him and Sakura and glared at them. Sasuke ignored me and stood up without saying anything else.

“Brat.” I mumbled. 

“Sasuke-kun..” Sakura spoke up making me sigh. 

Sasuke stopped after a few steps. “I’m gonna go on a walk.” 

You could immediately say that you wanna see if your friend is alive, Sasuke. 

“But we were about to eat breakfast..” Sakura continued, only for Sasuke to ignore her and leave the house after closing the door behind him. We all stared at his plate. It was already empty. Damn, when did he eat? “How fast!” Sakura's eyebrow twitched. 

I sighed and went to finish my plate, trying to ignore Inari’s sudden gloomy mood surrounding him. My training made me so hungry I could eat anything and not even be disturbed by the emo kid. 

~~~~ 

It was the next morning, the seventh day of training. 

“Naruto!” Sakura yelled. I winced at the loudness of her voice. I might not show it but being in the Narutoverse really be giving me hearing damage. As you could easily guess, Kakashi, Sakura and I were in the forest searching for him. “What is he doing?” she asked Kakashi while the latter kept staring at the trees in front of us, still standing up with the aid of a crutch. “Sasuke-kun didn't came back from his walk too.” she looked around her. 

I lifted my head and glanced at where Kakashi was looking. I could feel someone up there. I started to smile sensing Naruto’s familiar Chakra. 

All of a sudden a kunai was thrown in front of us. I smiled seeing Naruto tiredly lied down on his stomach on a branch at the top of the tree while grinning at us. He snickered. He looked like that cat in Alice in Wonderland. 

“I’m dreaming..” I heard Sakura spoke up in disbelief. “He's able to climb this high now? Amazing..” 

Kakashi said nothing but I could sense that he was proud of the boy. 

I grinned at Naruto and lifted my fist in the air. “I’m proud of you, Naruto! I knew you could do it!” 

His grin widened. “So you're impressed, huh? I can climb up there now, dattebayo!” he jumped, crouched down on the branch to position himself and proudly stood up only to slip and start to fall in panic. 

“No! Baka!” Sakura screamed massacring my eardrums. 

“Kami!” Even Kakashi panicked. 

I didn't reacted since I knew Naruto was only pranking us. He smoothly turned around the branch and stayed stuck upside down just like Kakashi and I did during our first day of training. 

“I got you!” he sang, eyes closed mischievously. “You should have seen your faces! Too bad it didn't work on Yasuho-chan, though. But I’ll get you next time.” 

“Hell no.” I shook my head vehemently but couldn't help but smile at his antics. “I really don't wanna get into a prank war with the master of pranks. And I'm your first friend, I should have a friend-privilege and be spared from your might.” 

“Probably but we'll have that prank war eventually!” he laughed. 

“Idiot! I got the scare of my life!” Sakura cried out. 

“Ne, Kakashi-sensei. You also got scared for him. He genuinely pranked you unlike last time.” I snickered at the jonin only for him to send me a fake-ass-full-of-promises-of-physical-suffering eye smile before returning to watch the orange-clad boy. 

Naruto kept snickering before his feet suddenly couldn't stick to the tree anymore. Kakashi’s eye almost jumped out of his skull in fright. 

“Naruto, you Baka! That's what happens to show-offs.” Sakura yelled. 

Naruto kept screaming while falling and I was about to save him, really, but decided to do nothing when I saw Sasuke come to save the damsel in distress. Sometimes you need to let things happen. I smiled seeing Sasuke climb the tree, jump to stand upside down on the branch and grab Naruto's ankle in time, saving him from opening his skull on the ground. I almost laughed seeing the blonde hang upside down and swing in the air like this. 

“You.. Usuratonkachi..” 

“Sasuke?” Naruto stopped swinging. 

“Kyaaa! Bravo, Sasuke-kun! I got shivers!” Sakura shrieked loudly. 

I winced. “Damn, I should have been the one to save him instead just so I could save my ears.” I mumbled and dropped my shoulders dramatically. I stopped when I suddenly felt Kakashi pat my head like a dog, once again, and lifted my head to see him beaming at the boys’ display of progress. 

~~~~ 

We were back at Tazuna's house after another full day of training. It was already the night, we could see the full moon from the kitchen’s window. Tazuna, Kakashi, Sakura, Inari and I were sitting at the table, waiting for dinner to be served. Sasuke and Naruto were still training in the forest since they didn't want to stop before succeeding at climbing till the very top of the giant trees. 

I winced in pain and glanced curiously at Inari sat next to me. It was the first time that the boy was so close to me and it felt weird. I kept wincing in pain when Tsunami started to put the plates on the table.

I heavily trained the whole week in hopes of gaining enough stamina and speed for our upcoming fight against Zabuza and Haku and my body liked to remind me of that. I sighed. Training was good, I could feel I got better but it still felt as if it wouldn't be enough for the fight. I was scared of fucking something up and, I don't know, make Tazuna or Sakura die. What if Haku wouldn't spare Sasuke? Or, what if _I_ would be the one to die. I actually liked living and I didn't felt like having to start another life in a whole other universe. What if I ended up in the Attack on Titan universe? I'd rather be here, thanks. 

“They're extremely late.” Sakura worriedly spoke up. “Naruto, I understand. But Sasuke.. I’m surprised.” 

As if on cue, as soon as she finished speaking, the boys opened the door. We all turned toward them. Sasuke was holding Naruto’s arm over his shoulders, supporting his weight while he slowly walked toward us. 

“Well, look at you.. You seem exhausted, both of you.” Tazuna pointed out. That was true, they seemed like they went through hell. I giggled internally, they actually will lmao. 

Naruto snickered and lifted his head, watching Tazuna with one eye closed. “We climbed to the very top of the tree!” 

“Yosh.” Kakashi nodded at him. “Naruto! Sasuke! Yasuho!” I narrowed my eyes at him. “Now you'll take part in the protection of Tazuna.” 

“Hai.” I simply replied. Well, looked like we will be attacked tomorrow. 

Naruto grinned in joy and happily lifted his fist in the air “Understood! Oh, no..” only to fall in the ground like a drunken man, dragging Sasuke with him. 

“Usuratonkachi!” Sasuke glared at him. 

I snorted and laughed at them with Kakashi, Sakura, Tazuna and Tsunami. 

~~~~ 

I patted my stomach when I finished eating. Damn, they didn't have a lot but Tsunami’s food was good. I smiled and thanked her as she took the plates off the table. 

“There’s still a mega-small effort and the bridge will be achieved. And it's all thanks to you.” Tazuna spoke up. 

“Then there's no need to force things!” Tsunami frowned at her father. 

“There’s a question I wanted to ask you for a mega-long time… I lied to you about the mission, why accept to help me?” Tazuna frowned at the jonin. 

Kakashi stared at him before closing his eyes. He lifted his hands, putting one hand over the other doing a Sasuke-in-thought pose. “´To know what is right and choose to ignore is the act of a coward.´ ‘Like master like man’.” he slowly quoted rules number I couldn't remember and number I didn't care about from the shinobi book. He really knew them by heart. 

“Huh?” Tazuna was hella confused. 

Kakashi opened his eyes and looked at the older man. “These are the precepts of our previous Hokage.” 

Tazuna didn't replied. 

We heard light snoring and I watched Naruto drool on the table right in front of me. He was completely knocked out. I then glanced at Inari next to me when an aura of gloom thicker than normal enveloped him and saw him staring at the sleeping Naruto. I could practically hear the soundtrack of sadness and sorrow playing over the scene when he started crying out of nowhere while still staring at the Uzumaki. Perhaps I should introduce this world to mental health awareness? Because damn, this boy needed it. 

A tear dramatically fell on the table and tears were now falling like rivers down his cheeks. “Why…” his voice wavered. 

Naruto woke up and made a confused noise. He must have been hearing the flute too. He frowned and looked up at the boy. “What's happening?”

Inari put his hands on the table in anger and stood up to glare at Naruto eye-to-eye, tears still falling down his cheeks. “Why do you wear yourself out trying?” he yelled. “No matter how hard you train, you'll never defeat Gatô’s thugs.” I contained a scoff. Genin like us could easily defeat some thugs. “It's useless to lose your time with your tough talk! Anyway, the weak never holds a chance to win against the strong!” he cried out in anguish. 

We all looked at him while he finished his monologue. I lightly shook my head and Naruto quickly dismissed us, putting his head on his arms. 

“Shut up, midget! I, am not like you, ‘ttebayo!”

“Shut it! You're ticking me off! You don't know anything about this country, and you come here with your big mouth! You don't know a thing about my suffering and loneliness! I, don't spend my time laughing stupidly!” Inari kept yelling. 

I anxiously bit my lower lip. That's really what you can't say to Naruto. He's one of those who suffered the most. What Inari went through was almost nothing in comparison. At least he still has his mother and grandfather and he didn't have to grow up alone and unloved.

Naruto slightly lifted his head, keeping his eyes hidden behind his spiky bangs. “So all that you do is act as a hero of melodrama and cry non-stop, isn't it?” he slowly said. Inari softly gasped. Naruto 1, Inari 0. “Then keep cryin’ in your corner, if it amuses you.” He fully lifted his head and angrily glared at the boy. “You crybaby!” 

Note to myself : never ever anger Naruto. 

“Naruto! You went too far away this time!” Sakura scolded him. 

“He was right though. You really can't say to an orphan who grew up alone without any family that he doesn't know suffering and loneliness.” I shrugged my shoulders and ignored Sakura's glare. 

Naruto stood up and left, hands in his pockets, completely ignoring her. He sent me an odd look before leaving. 

Inari started sobbing loudly next to me. Kakashi looked concerned at him. I shrugged my shoulders in a ‘what can you say’ way. Yeah, Naruto’s talk no jutsu hurt like that sometimes. 

~~~~

“Well. I entrust Naruto to you. He's worn himself out. Let him rest for the day.” Kakashi announced when we were all, except for said blonde, standing in front of Tazuna's house, ready to escort him at his bridge. 

“Do you feel better, Kakashi-san?” Tsunami asked him. 

Kakashi, the dork, giggled. “Yes, I’m good.” 

I shook my head. He acted like a teenager sometimes. 

“Come on! Let's go!” Tazuna exclaimed and took the lead of our little group as we started to follow him, leaving Tsunami and a still sleeping Naruto behind. 

Yay, off we go to be attacked again by a missing nin. Yay. I couldn't wait. Please, do note the heavy touch of sarcasm. 

~~~~

“Wha-What is this?!” Tazuna exclaimed as we arrived at the bridge. His five employees were all completely unconscious. I tensed. I hoped they weren’t dead. They were the last ones willing to work for him. They didn’t deserve to die like this. “What happened? What the hell happened?” 

Kakashi tensed next to me. I looked at him waiting for a command.

A moment later, mist completely invaded the bride, surrounding us. 

Kakashi swiftly turned his head to check the mist before turning his back to us. “Sasuke. Sakura. Yasuho.” We all fell into formation. Tazuna was in the middle while the four of us circled him by each sides. Sasuke was in front him, Sakura was at his right, I was at his left and Kakashi protected the back. “Here they are!” 

I took a kunai out of my pouch, Sakura and Sasuke grunted while they did the same.

“Say, Kakashi-sensei. It's the Kirigakure jutsu isn't it?” Sakura asked. 

Kakashi didn't answer, too focused on the sudden threat, so I hummed at her in response. 

After a few seconds, Zabuza's voice resonated among us. “Sorry for the waiting, Kakashi. Still accompanied by those brats?” I glared at the fog in front of me. I wasn't a brat! I was psychologically 21 dammit, we were almost the same age, Zabuza. “Look at them. Poor things. They're shaking with their whole body.” 

In the blink of an eye later, Zabuza’s mizu bunshins faced Kakashi, Sakura, Sasuke and I. I tried to keep a neutral face and stared blankly at the clone facing me. He actually scared the hell out of me appearing like that with his big ass blade. 

The clone in front of Sasuke hummed questioningly. 

“It's a shiver of excitation!” Sasuke answered smugly. Ah, he must have been smirking at the clone. 

“You have absolutely no sense of self-preservation, Sasuke.” I gritted my teeth while keeping staring at Zabuza’s clone. I tried to remind myself of the Shinobi rule I don't remember : never keep your enemy out of sight. That was only common sense. 

I heard someone shift, probably Kakashi. 

“Mind your business.” Sasuke snarled at me. 

“I was just stating some facts, relax.” I figuratively rolled my eyes. 

Zabuza's clone who was facing me smirked when Kakashi gave the all greens to Sasuke. I narrowed my eyes at the clone facing me while Sasuke started fighting his. My eyes widened as I saw him pass in front of me in a blur and slice my clone’s body in half. He was gone as soon as my brain processed what I witnessed. Bewildered, I turned my head to look around me and saw all of the clones fall into puddles of water around us. I quickly glanced in front of me since I was facing the interior of the bridge and narrowed my eyes. A moment later, the demon of the mist appeared walking toward us with Haku right by his side. 

“Oh. You vanquished all of my mizu bunshins. This brat made real progress… Here are some serious rivals. Right, Haku?” 

“Looks like it.” The teen agreed. 


	12. Haku's Ice Mirrors

A tense silence fell between us as both of our teams stared at each other. It lasted so long I almost sighed in relief when Kakashi decided to speak. 

“Hmm.. My suppositions revealed to be exact.” he said with fake cheer. 

“Your suppositions?” Zabuza asked, curious. 

“On this masked boy.” 

I sighed, eyes never leaving the duo. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, sensei.” It's cool knowing that he didn't trust me when I told them all about Haku. 

“You can never be sure, Yasuho.” I could feel his damn eye smile on my back. 

“I was doubting it, too.” Sasuke added. 

“Not you too, Sasuke..” My shoulders dropped comically. It's not like I cared about his opinion but it kinda hurts when your team doubts you. 

Zabuza hummed questioningly, eyeing me like I finally had some interest. 

“He passed for a Kirigakure Hunter-nin, so it was all a mega-lie?” Zabuza asked. 

“Yes! You were in the room when I told you all about it!” I snapped at him, making him sweat-drop. 

“Sorry, guess I forgot.” I could see him in the corner of my eyes put his hands in defense. 

“I swear to god next time I will tell you absolutely nothing if my opinion, input and collected, actual, true facts matter so little to you.” I mumbled, trying to keep myself from glaring at them. 

Zabuza’s eyes glinted with amusement. “What did you knew?” 

“That the masked boy was with you and that he didn't actually kill you because I could still feel your chakra.” I replied willingly. They were going to die anyway and I felt bad enough for them. What was wrong in telling them a little secret? 

Zabuza smirked at me. “I knew it. You reacted to my clones way too quickly.” 

I shrugged. He didn’t need to know that they just scared me.

I could feel Kakashi pierce a hole in my back. “Anyway, he's on Zabuza’s side! We’re fixed now, huh, Yasuho?” 

“Hm.” I eloquently replied.

“And he has the nerve to show up!” Sakura spoke up. 

“I hate this! Kids who are just showing off..” Kakashi complained. 

“Kakashi-sensei, you're the one saying that.” Sakura replied. 

I refrained a snort. 

“Ah… You think?” he asked but Sakura never replied since Sasuke spoke up right after. 

“This one’s mine.” 

“Huh?” the pink-haired girl got confused. 

“He played us with his acting. I hate this kind of lying!” Itachi flashback anyone? 

Sakura squealed. “Such class, Sasuke-kun.” 

I felt an aura of depression coming from Kakashi. I sighed at his antics then sighed again thinking about how Sakura was shaming all kunoichis in the world right this instant with her behavior in front of a S-rank missing-nin. 

“This boy is impressive.” Haku finally spoke up. Zabuza hummed in response and the boy continued. “He defeated all of your mizu bunshins even though they only have a tenth of your strength. I didn't think him this strong.” 

“But we have the upper hand..” Zabuza grinned at us behind his mask. “..even if they have a sensor on their side. It's time for you to play.” 

“Hai.” 

Haku suddenly shunshined toward us, and more precisely, Sasuke. 

The Uchiha squeaked. “What?” 

Haku approached him quickly in what seemed to be a shunshin looking like a tornado. Regaining his usual Uchiha-while-in-battle calm as quickly as he lost it, Sasuke went into a fighting stance, kunai right in front of his face.  He rapidly blocked Haku’s senbon with his kunai. The both of them were at the same amount of strength. They stepped back and continued to do the same. 

“Sakura, Yasuho. Stay with me to protect Tazuna!” Kakashi ordered us. 

Sakura agreed but I did not. 

I turned and looked at Kakashi determinedly. “Kakashi! You know I’m as fast as Sasuke! I can help him fight Haku. The both of us fighting Haku is better than leaving Sasuke fight him alone!” 

“No. Stay and protect Tazuna with Sakura, that's an order and that's final.” 

I heard Sasuke’s and Haku’s face off intensify but I could only narrow my eyes at Kakashi. “I hope it's not because of some damn sexist reason, Kakashi-sensei. I’m warning you, as soon as things go south, I'm outta here.” I stepped back from the boys and joined Tazuna’s side. 

He actually seemed offended at that and nodded. “If only.” 

He was about to continue when Haku suddenly spoke up. “I don't particularly want to kill you.. Abandoning this combat like your teammate did would certainly be wiser...” 

“Oi.” I turned around and glared at the boy. 

“Don't be stupid.” Sasuke smirked, locked in a stance with the boy. 

I glared at him too. 

“Just as I thought… But I'm warning you, as of now, I will be too fast for you. Perhaps you should have listened to the girl.” I groaned and turned to glare again at Kakashi. Him and his stupid ideas. He probably just wanted to test Sasuke’s level in a real combat situation against an enemy who seemed to be at his level when that was only plain stupid. “..And I already took two precautions.” Haku continued, cutting my train of thoughts. 

I turned to face them once again when Sasuke asked “Two precautions?” 

“The first one is to put water on the ground… and the second one is to paralyze one of your hands. The only thing that you can do now is counterattack.” Zabuza’s protégé finished his explanation by doing a series of single-hand seals making Sasuke and Kakashi panic. Personally, I was awed since doing a jutsu using just one hand was difficult as fuck. “Hijutsu! Sensatsu Suisho!” 

Haku kicked the puddle beneath him making all the water on the ground rise in the air and surround the duo.

A grunt came from Zabuza making me tense.

“Sasuke-kun!” I shook my head at Sakura. 

The water then transformed into dozens and dozens of needles in the air making Kakashi even more tense.

Sasuke was slightly shaking in concentration, trying to coat chakra around his feet. He was probably suffering from a flashback jutsu (as I called them) of him training in the forest right now. Suddenly, all of the needles descended, all targeting him. The both of them jumped backward right before being touched. Water splashed everywhere making it impossible to know what happened afterwards. When the area was cleared, only what seemed like a confused Haku was there. I lifted my head and saw Sasuke in the air (fuck gravity, right?) He started throwing shurikens at Haku, forcing him to jump backwards. When Haku stopped and lifted himself up, Sasuke suddenly appeared right behind him. I widened my eyes at his newfound speed. When did he have time to learn and use chakra in order to increase speed in his limbs?

“You are rather slow. Now, it’s your turn trying to counterattack!” Sasuke smirked and lifted his kunai. Haku immediately turned to him and went into a defensive stance when Sasuke attacked him. He quickly stopped Sasuke’s arm and the Uchiha threw a kunai with his other hand. Haku avoided it easily and bent down to attack the Uchiha’s legs but the latter kicked his face making him fly and land at Zabuza’s feet. I nearly whistled at that. “Looks like I’m way faster than you. I don’t need my teammate.” Sasuke’s tone was in full smug mode. 

I tried to take no offense at that since his hubris will bite him later in the ass and I’ll make him be thankful for my presence. 

“Avoid underestimating our team, even if it is constituted of ‘brats’.” Kakashi started with a hint of pride in his voice. “Sasuke is the top rookie of Konohagakure. Yasuho is the second top rookie, right after him. And she could have been the top kunoichi if she showed up to kunoichi classes.” I sent them a peace sign. “Sakura, the actual top kunoichi, is the one with the most ressources.” I heard Sakura giggle. “As for the fourth thief… he’s the most unpredictable ninja of our village.. Naruto the knucklehead.” 

I immediately visualized his grinning face. He would like the nickname. 

Zabuza creepily chuckled. “Haku, did you hear that? We must be wary..” I weirdly took no offense at him mocking us.

Haku stood up. “Yes.” 

A huge amount of chakra started to come out of him as he started to emanate it in the air.

“What is that?” Sasuke asked.

“It’s his chakra.” I shivered when the air became cold real quick. It truly felt like we were in mid-December now.

“What a pity..” Haku mumbled. 

“An ice release?” I heard Sasuke mumble in shock.

Haku did an odd hand seal and one of the infamous ice mirrors started forming right behind Sasuke.

The boy turned in shock but didn’t move. 

“Sasuke! Move!” He didn’t react when I called out to him.

“Hijutsu!!” Haku muttered. Other mirrors started forming all around him, trapping the black-haired boy in a dome. All Sasuke did was looking around him, stunned. “ Hijutsu: Makyō Hyōshō ” Haku completed the jutsu. 

“I.. don’t know this technique!” Kakashi muttered in disbelief next to me. 

Haku then walked right into a mirror and merged with it making Sakura gasp. I couldn’t lie, I wanted to gasp too. The only thing stopping me was that I already knew about it but it didn’t stop the fact that his kekkei genkai was impressive as fuck. Seconds later, all the mirrors were covered with an image of the teen. 

“Fuck!” Kakashi swore and started running toward the Uchiha to help him before being stopped by Zabuza who appeared right in front of him. Kakashi stopped running. 

“I’m the one who’s your enemy.” Zabuza frowned at the silver-haired man. “This technique is infallible.. Your protégé is done for.” 

Kakashi said nothing as Haku suddenly spoke up.

“Well, get ready. I’m going to start. I’m going to show you.. my real speed.”

Haku threw two senbons at Sasuke, slicing both of his arms. 

“Sasuke!” Kakashi yelled. 

Sasuke cried while his body was being sliced from every directions and he couldn’t do anything to avoid it. Then, a senbon sliced his hand making the kunai he was previously holding fly in the air.

“Sasuke-kun!” Sakura cried out. 

The kunai conveniently landed in front of her feet. 

Sasuke put both of his hands on his head in defense, still crying out horribly. I grimaced, the pain must be atrocious. His screams were completely chilling. I glanced at Kakashi and Zabuza. They were still locked in a staring contest. 

“Be careful of what you do.. Or else, I kill the other three!” Zabuza threatened him. 

I refrained a flinch at that. Sasuke’s grunts and cries of pain were still a background noise. 

“I’m sorry, Tazuna-san, Yasuho-san, I’ll leave you alone a few moments..” Sakura spoke up, tense. 

I picked up the kunai planted in front of her and shook my head at her. “Nah, I should be the one doing this, remember earlier. I’m the only one who has the slightest chance of helping him with my speed. Stay and protect Tazuna. He can’t be alone.” I tried to project a sort of inner Kakashi and sent her an eye smile.

She hesitated a few seconds before nodding. “Okay.”

I patted her shoulder and started running toward the ice prison, mindful of Kakashi’s and Zabuza’s sudden stares and very mindful of avoiding their zone. I wanted to shunshin but I’ll need the chakra for later so I simply ran as fast as I could and jumped in the air. I threw a kunai with all the strength I had at one of the mirrors but it simply bounced back and fell on the ground, as if it was made of rubber. I landed right in front of the mirror and took the kunai. I saw Sasuke look at me faintly before falling on his stomach. I ignored Sakura’s ‘Sasuke-kun!’ cry. Haku simply stared at me. His upper body was completely out of the mirror and his head was out of the dome. 

I winced. “Well, that was awkward. I really thought it would work..” Silence fell between us and I was about to add something else when a shuriken suddenly stabbed Haku’s back. Another one hit his masked chin and the boy fell right in front of me. I took advantage of his weakness, sat down on his back, forcefully locked his arms while putting my whole weight on him and quickly put a kunai under his throat. I heard Sakura gasp and Kakashi and Zabuza grunt. Haku winced underneath me. “Try to move and I slice your throat.” I tried to threaten him but it didn’t really work. My hand was completely shaking. I couldn’t slice his throat even if I wanted too and we both knew it but he did nothing. Haku was too pure. 

“Yasuho! Kill him now!” Kakashi ordered. 

I quickly glanced at him and panicked. 

Zabuza started chuckling, realising that Haku’s life wasn’t in real danger. “Kakashi your brat is as useless as a broken tool if she even can’t bear to take a life while being a shinobi!” 

Kakashi didn’t answer, making me flinch. I felt Haku flinch at Zabuza’s words. 

“Perhaps, but I can do that!” I shouted. 

I took off the kunai from Haku’s throat, intending to hit his head with the blunt part to make him unconscious at least for a little while, but the boy suddenly head-butted me on the chin. I let out a cry as I lost control of my limbs and fell right back on him, letting his arms and my kunai go. Haku then pushed me on my back and stood up. I could only stare at him and grunt in pain since his hit momentarily paralyzed my body. 

He rubbed his head and looked down at me. “I’m going to spare you for the moment since at last you decided to spare my life. But..”

He stopped talking when a bang was heard and a huge cloud of smoke appeared on the bridge. I sighed. Naruto was finally here. I had to strain my neck in order to see what was happening. 

“Who’s that?” Sakura loudly asked. 

Sasuke, still on the ground, opened an eye and we both shared a knowing look, knowing really well who was the only person who could arrive mid-battle like this. He mouthed ‘baka’ and I slightly nodded. 

“The most unpredictable of ninjas.. The knucklehead..” Haku muttered beside me. 

Silence fell between all of us while we were all waiting for something to happen. It lasted a whole minute and it was enough for me to gain some feeling back in my hands and feet. The smoke dissipated revealing the one and only Naruto doing a comic pose. I couldn’t really see what he was doing with his hands but I classified this as a sort of jojo pose.

“Uzumaki Naruto..” He dramatically finished Haku’s sentence.”..is coming to help!” He stared at us determinedly and grinned. 


	13. The Unpredictable Naruto

Silence fell on the bridge as we all stared at Naruto in shock. We could only hear Sasuke’s pained breathing. 

Naruto regained a normal stance and snickered. “Everything is gonna be okay now that I’m here, dattebayo!” 

“Naruto!” Sakura  screeched making me wince. 

“In every stories, the hero always bursts in like this and he defeats his enemies in a flash!” Naruto dramatically pointed at Zabuza with his index. Minato reference anyone? 

The latter glanced at him but said nothing. I could practically hear him think that Naruto was a brat. Then I heard Sasuke scoff and turned to saw him scowl comically at the ground. 

I laughed and had to strain my neck to glance at Naruto who was still pointing at Zabuza. “Oi, Naruto! I’m all for you kicking some asses but the best thing that you could have done was ambush them since we didn’t know you were coming!” I scolded him but it wasn’t serious. Naruto was Naruto after all, we couldn’t predict his actions. 

The blonde laughed nervously and scratched his neck. “It seemed like the right thing to do at the time..” Suddenly, he stopped and stared at me. “Ano. Why are you on the ground like this.” 

“I received a blow on the chin and now I’m paralyzed. But don’t worry, it’s only momentary. I’ll be fine in a few minutes. I can already start to feel my limbs.” I reassured him immediately, not wanting to worry and anger him to the point where we’ll have to say hello to Kurama a little bit too early. 

He said nothing, came by my side and stared at Haku. 

I shook my head and glanced at the older boy. The black-haired boy, who had a slice on the middle on his mask now that I payed attention, was staring at Naruto like he just saw a ghost. He was probably suffering from a flashback jutsu of him meeting Naruto at the forest.

“You hurt my friend!” Naruto growled at Haku. “Yosh, let’s go! Kage Bunshin!” he finished by doing his famous seal. 

He didn’t have time to create his clones since Zabuza decided to throw shurikens at him. 

“No! Protect Yasuho and dodge them, Naruto!” Kakashi yelled at him. 

Naruto broke his seal and screamed in panic.

“Naruto!” I screamed in panic too seeing Naruto froze in front of the upcoming shurikens. I didn’t want to die here only because I was paralyzed momentarily!  We were only a few milliseconds away from an intimate meeting with Zabuza’s shurikens when Haku surprisingly stopped them with his senbons. Kakashi, Sakura, Tazuna, Sasuke and I gasped at that. I took a drop of sweat away from my forehead. I completely forgot about this! I didn’t knew Haku had saved Naruto at one point. 

“Nani?” Zabuza’s eyes widened at this protégé.

Naruto made a confused noise seeing the weapons fall on the ground in front of us.

“They have nothing!” Sakura spoke up in disbelief. 

“The both of their attacks cancelled each other. They were really lucky!” Tazuna remarked. 

“What are you doing, Naruto! You didn’t even protect Yasuho!” Sakura scolded him. 

“Oi. We don’t execute a jutsu in front of enemies, baka!” Kakashi, the hypocrite, scolded him too. I could suddenly vividly visualize him doing this exact same thing numerous times. Naruto cried in confusion at that. “The essence of a shinobi is to cheat. You need to know how to trick your enemies. By using a jutsu, you need to deceive, surprise your enemy. Your way of entering the scene made you an easy target.” Kakashi finished his scolding by glaring at Naruto. 

Said boy immediately reacted. He cried and put his hands on his ears. As if to block Kakashi’s remarks. “I can’t believe it! Me who came to save you all!”

Everyone ignored him while Haku went to retrieve his senbons. 

I winced and tried to sit up. I could only rise my upper body and stand on my elbows. Even then, my arms were shaking and I had a hard time. 

Zabuza narrowed his eyes at the older teen. “Haku, why did you do this?” 

Haku stood up and stared at Naruto. “Zabuza-sama, leave him to me. Let me lead this fight in my way.”

“Lead what?” Naruto took a step back and tightened his fist. 

Haku completely faced him and took a step forward. They stared at each other during what felt like a good minute. I was between them and felt extremely embarrassed. Like hello I was there? Where they really going to fight with me in the crossfire?

Zabuza hummed. “You don’t want me to interfere, Haku?” Haku said nothing and simply kept staring at Naruto. “As usual, you’re too good with your enemies. You even let the girl live when you could have easily slit her throat.” 

Haku bowed his head. “Forgive me.”

I felt a dark aura coming from Sasuke behind me and ignored it. 

“If it’s like this…” Naruto pointed at Haku. “I will take you down before you can even touch me!” he declared cockily. 

Yeah, as if. 

Zabuza suddenly clicked his tongue and walked in front of Kakashi. “Don’t try to get involved. If you move, you know very well what will happen to the old man.” Zabuza’s body was blocking my view of Kakashi’s face but I heard him have a sharp intake of breath. “We will stay as simple spectators and observe how the youngsters fight.” 

Kakashi didn’t reply. 

“This mask.. So you’re really one of Zabuza’s buddies. How dare you trick us?” Naruto yelled at Haku.

My arms stopped shaking and I sat up correctly. I tried to move my legs but the only thing that I could move was my feet. I sighed in desperation. “I really hate being in this situation.” I mumbled. 

Haku slightly bowed his head. “Sorry.” 

“Nah that's okay.” I pinched my leg. I couldn't help but be nice to him. He was just so gentle, even with us. 

“Sorry for having tricked you too. But your sensei told you that find the weaknesses and deceive are the duties of a shinobi. See nothing personal about it.” 

Suddenly, a kunai easily dodged by Haku came from Sasuke. The Uchiha gasped in shock. I widened my eyes at the Ice user. He avoided it so easily! All he did was lift his head. He didn't even need to look at him. 

Naruto made a confused noise and the boy finally noticed Sasuke. “Sasuke..” he murmured the latter’s name. 

“I did not forget you.” Haku addressed Sasuke while still staring at Naruto. He finally turned his upper body toward the Uchiha still stuck inside the dome. “I would have preferred that you collapse and don't move anymore. But that wasn't the case for you, apparently. You asked for it. I will achieve you first.” Then, Haku calmly started to walk back into the dome. 

“Oi, wait!” Naruto yelled at him. 

Haku stopped walking. I frowned and stared at him. He was now standing right next to me and I couldn't do anything to stop him. I couldn’t help but feel a little useless. “Naruto-kun, I will take care of you later. You too, Yasuho-san.” He directly merged into a mirror. 

I glanced at Naruto and saw him widen his eyes at that. He wasn't there when the older boy first did this so that was news to him. He then glared at the dome. 

“Yasuho-chan, what is this dome?” he suddenly asked me. 

I sighed. “Haku can manipulate and create ice. Hence the dome made of ice mirrors.” I lifted my arm and briefly pointed at the dome behind me with my thumb. “He can merge and appear quickly in any of the mirrors. Then he can multiply the reflections of him and send very fast and unlimited ice senbons from wherever he is, which is at every surface of the dome.” I tried to explain the gist of it as simply as I could. 

“I see, thank you.” Naruto replied in a surprisingly subdued voice and stared behind me where Sasuke was. 

“Here!” Haku's voice resonated inside the dome and I heard Sasuke gasp.

A few seconds later, Sasuke’s cry of pain was heard. 

I flinched.

“Sasuke-kun!”

“Sasuke!” Naruto and Sakura shouted simultaneously. 

Zabuza looked smug while Naruto gasped openly at the dome, face drenched in sweat. 

“See, that's how he operates so think smartly before joining Sasuke inside the dome. I think we need to attack the mirrors from the exterior and interior at the same time if we want to destroy them.” I warned the Uzumaki but the warning went ignored. Naruto suddenly tightened his fists. I panicked. He really was about to join Sasuke even though I told him what to do to destroy Haku's dome! “Wait! Help me up! I can feel my legs now but I’m afraid to fall.” I hoped it would help him think before acting. 

“Hai, of course! Everything for my friend, dattebayo!” Naruto grinned at me and took my hand. 

He pulled my arm and I shakily stood up. My legs were shaking like crazy and felt like jelly but I could now stand up even though I doubted I could walk without falling. 

“Thank-” I turned toward him to smile at him only to saw that he disappeared as soon as I stood up. “-you.” My smile disappeared too. He really abandoned me just like that! He was too stubborn for his own good. 

“Yo! I came to save you!” Naruto suddenly appeared in a squat position in front of a kneeling Sasuke. I cautiously turned to watch them. The latter was so shocked I thought I saw his soul leave his body. “How’s it going, Sasuke?” I could only see Naruto’s back but I felt the grin in his voice. 

Sasuke’s left eyebrow and hands twitched. He groaned at the blonde. 

“Naruto! You didn't listen to a single of my warnings and you abandoned me!” I whined. I already felt like I didn't belong there enough. He didn't need to add more insecurities by not listening to me and still doing the same mistakes. 

“You usuratonkachi! A shinobi needs to be careful and stealthy.” Sasuke yelled at him. 

“What's it with you? I came here to rescue you!” Naruto yelled back. 

“If you're also inside..” Sasuke’s whole being shook in pure frustration. He glared at Naruto and looked away. “Fuck it. Leave it alone, baka!” 

“You’re calling me a baka? You’re a baka!” 

“Oi. You completely forgot that I’m here and that I can attack the mirrors from the exterior!” I glared at Sasuke. 

“Can you walk?” he narrowed his eyes at me. I narrowed my eyes in turn but didn't answer. “That's what I thought.” He scowled. 

“You just gotta wait a few minutes. Then I will be able to walk and help you.” 

“Anyway, we can destroy the mirrors without your help.” He stood up and did a series of hand seals. “Katon!” 

“What are you gonna do, dattebayo?” 

“These mirrors are made of ice. So.. Goukakyuu no Jutsu!” he turned toward the other side of the dome in order not to attack Naruto and an immense blaze of fire directed at the mirrors invaded the area. 

I whistled at the heat emanated by the Uchiha. They really were a clan of pyromaniacs. Not that I could blame them, I’d set everything in fire too if I knew some katon jutsus.  Sasuke gasped seeing his fire not melting the mirrors in the slightest. They didn’t make a single dent. The fire dissipated after a few seconds of tensed silence. 

“It did absolutely nothing!” Naruto yelled. 

“A fire that weak will not suffice.” One of Haku’s reflections spoke up. 

Sasuke snarled at the mirror from which it came from. 

Without any warning, Haku suddenly sent a dozens of senbons at the boys. It sliced them and sent them both on the ground. They cried in pain.

Naruto quickly stood up and swore. “Kuso!” He had slices over both of his scarred cheeks. “Where does he send his attacks from? His bunshins?” the blonde haired-boy stood up while Sasuke stayed sat up. “But where is his real body?” he looked around him. 

“It's useless to follow me with your eyes. You could never spot me.” 

Naruto grunted and did his famous hand seal. “Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!” 

“Stop!” Sasuke yelled but Naruto didn't listen to him. 

A dozen of clones appeared from a puff of smoke and jumped at each of Haku’s mirrors. “I will destroy all the mirrors to find the original!” one of the clones (I couldn't determine if it was the real him or not) explained. 

All of his clones shouted multiple war cries while they approached Haku’s mirrors but Haku swiftly jumped in a blur from mirror to mirror and sliced every one of them in a matter of seconds. They all disappeared in mini puffs of smoke and the real Naruto quickly found himself falling to the ground. He screamed and landed painfully at Sasuke’s side. I flinched seeing him grunt and flinch in pain. We could have easily avoided that if he simply listened to me. 

“These mirrors reflect only me.” Sasuke and Naruto looked up at the sole reflection of Haku right in front of them. “I use their refraction to transport myself. With the speed that I’m going with, you seem motionless to me.” 

Kakashi gasped in shock. I slowly turned on my still shaky legs and faced him and Zabuza. 

Kakashi’s eye was widened. “He uses a kekkei genkai!” 

Zabuza chuckled. 

Sakura turned toward Kakashi. “Kekkei genkai?”

Kakashi focused his eye at the dome of ice. “It's the same kind of gift as my Sharingan. These jutsus are transferred only by blood ties. They are inscribed in the genes.” 

“But then..” Sakura cried. 

“Yes.. Even I, cannot copy this jutsu. There's no way I can counterattack it.” he finished in a gloomy tone.

“Dammit. I can't do anything!” I heard Naruto mutter behind me. 

“And what about me?” I quickly turned toward him and Sasuke, making me take a few steps forward and causing me to nearly fall. I had to coat chakra under my feet in order to keep my equilibrium. “I hate this! I wanna help!” I whined. That was the last time I would let myself get paralyzed mid-battle like this. Or else I’ll defect, join the Akatsuki, tell everything to Obito and let him kill me because he thought I was too crazy and how the fuck did I knew him and his plan. That’s how much I’ll do everything in power not to end up in another situation like this. 

“I can't die in a place like this!” Naruto completely ignored me and continued his small monologue. His eyes were completely darkened. “I still have a dream to realize!” He glared at Haku with one eye closed. “I want the villagers to recognize my worth.” 

“Fuck them!” I yelled at him. Really, Naruto didn't need their recognition. He deserved better than that. If I were him I would have pull up a Sasuke and defect from Konoha years ago. 

“And I dream of becoming Hokage!” Naruto ignored me and yelled his life dream at another living being. 

Haku took a minute to answer. It looked like he suffered from another flashback jutsu. I could already hear his soundtrack in my head. “It is difficult for me to become a shinobi, a real shinobi. If I could, I’d rather not kill you. But I also rather not die.. If you really want to confront me, I will have no hesitation. I will act as a shinobi. This bridge is a battlefield that links the dreams of everyone. I will fight for my dream. And you, for yours. Don't blame me. I have someone important to protect. I want to work for him, fight for him. I want to realize his dreams. This, is my dream. And in order to realize it, I need to become a real ninja.” Haku lifted a senbon in front of his face. “I am going to kill you!” he finished his poetic and real touching monologue by a nice death threat. 

Naruto, who really needs therapy, grinned at the threat. Sasuke, who needs it too, smirked at the threat.

I shivered. Only in the Narutoverse you could witness kids get excited, smile and smirk when they were being told that they were going to die. That was admirable and all to fight and die for a cause but they were way too young to be put in such situations and react like that. I hated it here. I wouldn't smile if it was me being threatened but then, perhaps Naruto and Sasuke were special cases. 

Anyway, following that, the air surrounding them suddenly became way more intense as they were stuck in a staring contest. A few seconds passed and I blinked when my legs stopped shaking. I could finally take a step without risking falling. I tightened my fist and approached a mirror. 

The real fight was just about to begin. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm wondering if I should let Haku and Zabuza survive,,


	14. The Snow Covers Zabuza

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer : I still don't own Naruto. 
> 
> Here's the longest chapter I ever wrote. I can say I'm glad I'm finally done writing the Zabuza arc, it took me so much time and energy I thought I was going to abandon this fic if I didn't fasten the pace. Hence the lazy writing at the beginning of the chapter. I really apologize for that. I wrote a bonus scene as an apology.

“Gatô, what are you doing here?” Zabuza, now completely covered in Kakashi, Haku’s and my blood, asked that damn CEO. “And why did you come with all your men?” 

I glared at all the thug wannabes. They were nothing dangerous but this day was really long and I couldn’t fight anymore since I got the brunt force of Kakashi’s Raikiri in my arm. 

Ah, wondering how we got here? I’ll try to make it simple.

I lied when I said that the real fight was about to begin. Well, it did for everyone, except for me. I wanted to help Sasuke and Naruto and even if at first they didn’t want my help they finally accepted it when Haku made them eat the floor the third time. I was supposed to stay outside since we needed to attack one of the mirrors at the same time from both sides but that’s where the plan went wrong. The boys were completely unable to get near a mirror close enough, Haku wouldn’t let them. 

That’s when I found myself completely unable to do anything else besides joining them. I tried to grab them and shunshin out of the dome but Haku was unsurprisingly faster than me. I took off my weights to gain the same speed as him (which surprised the boys even though it didn’t have the same dramatic effect as when Lee did the same) and fought Haku as hard as I could. But I didn’t have enough fighting experience and a natural affinity to shinobi arts unlike the Uchiha to last long enough against Haku. I ended up kneeling on the ground, completely out of breath and stabbed by senbons on multiple areas of my body. Naruto fainted and I got so beat up that Sasuke finally activated his Sharingan when trying to save us. He could finally have an advantage against Haku but unfortunately the boy realized it too and the rest was history. 

The ice-user sent a volley of senbon to a vulnerable Naruto and I making Sasuke shield us. If he did it instinctively or not depends on Sasuke’s POV. I tried to be the one to receive all those damn senbons to spare Sasuke from nearly dying but I realized that they needed this for their bound and did not move. I probably will regret this decision later when Sasuke will defect from Konoha. Then Naruto woke up, argued with a ‘dying’ Sasuke about why he protected us, (I even got a ‘you’re a nice person’ from Sasuke which made me like him a little) he then told the both of us who he wanted to kill and asked us not to die as he ‘died’ dramatically while being held by Naruto and I. At this point I hoped the fact that Sasuke sacrificed himself not only for Naruto but also for lil old me didn’t change anything concerning their bond. 

All I could do was watch as Naruto completely lost it, his mind now immersed in grief. I protected Sasuke and took off the senbons stuck in his body in order to wake him up from the state of lethargy he was forced into while Naruto cracked his seal for the first time, unleashing the chakra of Kurama inside the dome. Fortunately for Sasuke and I, the corrosive chakra only surrounded us instead of touching and attacking the both us. 

That’s also the moment when I finally realized that I was somehow immune to any Killing Intent, even the bijû kind of killing intent, and only because it didn’t scare me in the slightest. if I remembered correctly, Kurama’s chakra was supposed to be at least a minimum overwhelming to those trained against Killing Intent. Even Orochimaru sweat dropped when he was confronted to it. I should’ve guessed that I was immune to KI earlier when Kakashi, Sasuke , Zabuza and Hell, even Sandaime’s Killing Intent sent at me when I first arrived in Konoha, did absolutely nothing to me. It was probably due to my foreign origin since I’m immediately aware when hit by a Genjutsu and Inoichi couldn't enter into my brain. It was like no chakra not belonging to me coud affect my system. A small blessing among too many curses. 

All I could do was watch when Naruto’s scars on the cheeks deepened and his eyes turned crimson red instead of crystalline blue with fox-like pupils. All I could do was watch as the fox healed his wounds so fast all the senbons stuck inside him popped out and fell in front of me as if they never struck him in the first place, the only reminder of what had happened being the holes on his vest and pants. All I could do was still watch as his nails elongated into white and long sharp claws. Naruto roared in pure rage, dropped on all four, adopting an animal stance, and surging with power he brutally attacked Haku. 

The rest was blurry, everything happened too fast, but I could remember tending to Sasuke’s wounds and taking off all the senbons still stuck inside me while trying to ignore the literal beat up happening around us -the last thing I needed was Naruto turning his blind anger against me- when Naruto suddenly threw Haku against a mirror, destroying the dome. I protected Sasuke and myself from the flying shards of glass but got a few stuck on my back. I was trying to take them off when Haku’s pretty face was finally revealed to us. Naruto calmed down right away, Haku asked him to kill him and went to tell his tragic childhood.

Kakashi and Zabuza’s fight which had stopped when Naruto cracked his seal started again on the other side of the bridge. Kakashi unleashed his eight adorable dogs on the not so much adorable ex-kiri nin. I would have gone say hi and hug the dogs if we weren’t still in battle at the time. I checked one last time that Sasuke wasn’t about to bleed out before getting up and joining a Naruto who now lost all influence from Kurama while Haku finished explaining his life story and motivations. Haku then begged us to kill him, saying that he was now finding himself without any purpose in life now that Naruto defeated him. I refused vehemently and seeing that I wasn’t about to do it he argued with Naruto. Unfortunately, Haku wouldn’t be dissuaded and Naruto agreed and charged at him with a kunai. 

Next thing I knew Haku stopped him and disappeared to help Zabuza and I found myself facing Kakashi, nearly impaled by his Raikiri after having pushed down Haku milliseconds before the boy got impaled himself. Haku was supposed to die right then but hearing him beg Naruto for death broke something in me, I shunshined between Kakashi and Zabuza without thinking, he was too kind to die on this bridge. 

All I could do was stare at Kakashi’s face of pure shock and terror while I held my now heavily bleeding arm. He may have not impaled me but his Raikiri still slashed my right arm and shoulder in plus of burning me with the lightning. I cried, receiving the brunt force of one Kakashi’s jutsu wasn’t something I wanted to experience ever again. Kakashi’s eyes became wide, unseeing as he stared at me. Silence fell on the bridge and all we could hear was Kakashi’s lightning as it made noises similar to the chirps of his Chidori.

Kakashi finally cancelled his jutsu and I fell on him, completely weakened by the atrocious pain I felt in my arm. The only thing stopping me from fainting like Haku did at my feet was the adrenaline. Kakashi caught me and Zabuza taunted him about nearly killing his stupid student. He moved to slice through the three of us at the same time, right after saying that he didn’t need Haku anymore since the boy couldn’t even die for him, but Kakashi grabbed us and jumped backward, completely evading the blow. He gently put us on the ground and stared at me. I smiled through the pain and tears and reassured him that he didn’t hurt me too badly. He looked like he was seconds away from having a mental breakdown but forced an eye smile and ordered me not to move before leaving us to continue his fight with Zabuza. 

I painfully sat and glanced at the unconscious boy next to me. I wasn’t the only one hit by the jutsu. I put his head on my laps and checked his wound while still crying due to the pain. His left shoulder was burned to the second degree and he was also bleeding from his left arm with small burns here and there. He needed to see a doctor asap but he’d get to live another day. I cut my pants into a short and attached the pieces of clothing left around the slash on Haku’s arm and mine, stopping the both of us from bleeding out at least for a little bit. The rest was all a blur, I was too tired and in too much pain to stay focused on what was happening around Haku and I. It was the first time in both of my lives that I got hurt so much and I took it badly, the tears were expected but I guess I should’ve seen myself being heavily wounded in missions coming. I was a shinobi now. And a stupid one at that. What good shinobi tried to save an enemy -even though said enemy is kind and not really an enemy- from certain death? All I could do was sob while rubbing the tears away from Haku’s face with the arm that I could move. 

What felt like long minutes passed when an angered Naruto suddenly appeared next to me. He yelled at me for nearly sacrificing myself like Sasuke did but thanked me for saving Haku’s life. Now aware of what was happening, I could hear Sakura’s anguished screams from where I left Sasuke. Naruto forcefully clenched his vest where his heart was located and joined Sakura’s cries. Heartbroken by the sight, I told him that Sasuke wasn’t dead. Naruto got angry at me for lying. I tried to assure him that I could still faintly feel Sasuke’s chakra, that he was just in the same state Zabuza was in after his first fight with Kakashi. I did a bet with him saying that if Sasuke didn’t get up at the end of the fight he could stop being my friend. It was rude of me to bet something like that but seeing the seriousness in my face he finally believed me, albeit a little reluctantly. 

Kakashi must have heard our conversation during his fight because he suddenly got strength from out of nowhere. He defeated Zabuza and disabled both of his arms in less than a minute. 

That’s when Gatô appeared on the bridge. With dozens of hired thugs right behind him to protect his coward self and unleash them at us like the rabid, disposable dogs he probably thought they were.

Okay, so perhaps my explanation wasn’t as simple as I wanted it to be.

Gatô answered Zabuza’s inquiries. “I slightly changed my plans.” He hit the floor with his cane and sent him a disgusting smirk. “Sorry, Zabuza, but you have to die here.”

“What?” 

“It is very expensive to hire real ninjas so I hired missing nins like you. I could have saved a lot of money and time if you had died in this fight. You are not the ‘Demon of Kirigakure.’ If you want my opinion, you are just a little baby demon.” Gatô mocked him making all the thugs laugh at Zabuza. 

Zabuza stayed silent for a few seconds before addressing a crouched Kakashi. “Sorry, Kakashi. Our fight stops here. Having no more reasons to kill Tazuna, I don’t have any reasons to face you anymore.” 

“Ah, that’s fair.” Kakashi agreed.

“I can’t believe Haku, Sasuke and I nearly died for a fight that could’ve been avoided if we knew earlier that Gatô planned to fucking back-stab you since the beginning.” I deadpanned, now extremely angry against the short man. “This was all so useless.” I murmured, watching Haku’s peaceful face. At least he didn’t look like he wanted to kill himself like earlier when he was unconscious.

“Maah, Yasuho, it wasn’t like we could’ve known, right?” Kakashi asked but didn’t turn, his body was locked toward Gatô and his thugs.

I couldn’t help but laugh nervously. “Yeah, you’re right.” 

I felt a pang of regret in my chest. I knew. We really could’ve avoided all of this. I wanted to warn Kakashi at first but it wasn’t like I had proof of Gatô’s plan at the time.

Gatô suddenly walked toward us. “Regarding your little friend, I owe him a debt since he almost crushed my arm. He doesn’t look dead, give him to me so I could finish the brat or else there will be consequences.”

I remembered Gatô kicking Haku’s body the first time around. Since Haku wasn’t dead and was currently protected behind Kakashi and Zabuza this time all Gatô could do now was give threats and I lived for this. 

“Fuck off you entitled capitalist piece of shit.” I glared at the shipping magnate. Okay so perhaps I was angry and vulgar but the day got really long, I almost got impaled, I wanted to faint and I hated him and all that he represented. I was glad this world didn’t depend of capitalism as much as mine because I couldn’t deal with people like him at every corner anymore.

Zabuza chuckled darkly. “I like the way you talk, kid.” 

“And who are you? Give her to me so I could kill her too as a punishment for talking like this to me.” Gatô sneered at me. 

“Teme!” Naruto, infuriated, put himself in front of Haku and I. “The hell I’ll let you kill them!” Naruto yelled. 

Kakashi turned and glared at the both of us. “Stop! Calm down!”

“You! Say something!” Naruto yelled at Zabuza’s back. “He’s your friend, no?” 

“Shut up, kid. Haku is useless to me now. He could die for all I care.” Zabuza’s tone was harsh and ruthless but I could feel a turmoil in his chakra. 

“And it does nothing to you that we could give him and left him to die? Even after everything you’ve been through together?” Naruto screamed, unwillingly starting his first Therapy no Jutsu on an enemy. They grow up so fast.

“I used him just like Gatô used me. That’s all.” Naruto took a step back in shock. Zabuza continued. “I told you. Shinobi are just tools. I needed his power, not him as a person.” he paused, “I have no regrets.” He was lying even though he seemed unfazed by what he was saying. 

“Do you really think what you’re saying?” Naruto asked in a more subdued voice. 

Kakashi put his hand on the blonde’s shoulder. “Stop, Naruto. It’s useless to fight him now. Also..” 

Naruto forcefully put Kakashi’s hand off his shoulder. “Shut up! He’s still my enemy!’ he pointed at Zabuza. Zabuza slightly turned his head toward us and glared at Naruto from the corner of his eye. Naruto took deep breaths seeing that Zabuza wasn’t about to respond. “Haku.. he…” he turned behind him and glanced at the still unconscious boy whose head was on my laps. “He loves you with all his heart!” he pointed at Haku with a shaking arm and glared at Zabuza. “He thinks the world of you! And you, you feel nothing at all?” Naruto screamed so much his voice was now rough. “And you.. you really feel nothing.. at all?” Naruto repeated and shook his head in disbelief. “Do we need to renounce to our feelings to become a shinobi as strong as you? He tried to give his life to protect you!” tears fell on the ground as Naruto shook his head again. “He doesn’t even have a dream for himself. You treat him like an object. It’s really.. It’s really too awful, dattebayo!” Naruto finished his broken monologue by sobbing. 

I wanted to cry too -I would if there was enough water left in my body- because Haku deserved better but he wasn’t even dead! There was no need to get this dramatic!

“Brat..” Zabuza tried to keep his voice calm but we could clearly guess that he was crying as much as Naruto. The guess was confirmed when drops of tears fell at his feet few seconds later. “Don’t push it, that’s enough.” he lifted his head. “I got it.” 

“A S-rank shinobi showing his tears and emotions is great and all, I mean, what a rare sight, I really appreciate it but. Just so you know.. Haku’s not dead.” I finally spoke up. “I think we fulfilled the quota of drama for the day. It’s not like you would never have the chance to speak to him again and tell him that you love him like your son and that you’re sorry for treating him like an object all that time.” I winced as Kakashi hit the top of my head but at least my little speech did the job correctly. Now Zabuza and Naruto were looking at me and they both stopped crying. I was so proud!

Naruto cleaned his face from the tears and snot and high-fived the hand I could move. “Yeah, you’re right!” 

Zabuza grunted at me. “You’re really an unusual kid. Thank you for saving him earlier.” he suddenly shook his head and torn off the bandages covering his mouth from the inside with the help of his sharp teeth. He smirked at us. “You and the boy are right. Shinobis are also human beings. They can’t become emotionless objets.” He smiled softly and turned toward Gatô and his men who have thankfully been watching us in complete silence. “That's why I’m gonna give my everything and stop them from killing your friend and Haku. Kid, give me a kunai.” he addressed Naruto.

Naruto nodded and silently threw him a kunai he took from his pouch. Zabuza caught it with his mouth and instantly charged at the defenseless CEO. 

The man screamed in fear and started running toward him men. “Enough! Kill them all!” he ordered while hiding himself among the crowd of thugs. 

Said thugs agreed with cries of war and lifted their weapons in the air. 

“You idiot! You really think you can defeat so many enemies all alone?” one of them wearing a straw hat and a sword asked but unfortunately for him, Zabuza sliced right through his body as soon as he finished talking. 

A great number of them got the same fate in the following seconds and all I could do was watch in a strange mix of dread and awe as Zabuza killed a dozen of them only with a kunai and his mouth. 

My mouth dried up. I felt very glad that the man contented himself with humoring us during both of our fights. If he seriously wanted to kill us we would have been killed days ago. 

I gasped in shock when he got stabbed by a spear right in the middle of his back. I bit my lower lip and tightened my hold on Haku. Zabuza wouldn't survive this. 

Said man acted as if it did nothing to him and threw himself at a running Gatô. The short man stopped when he arrived at the end of the unfinished bridge and screamed when he saw Zabuza run at full speed toward him. At this moment, Zabuza truly looked like the very thing he got nicknamed as. A demon. 

“Demon!” Gatô cried out right before being slashed up in the torso. Unfortunately, the blow didn't kill him right away and his thugs took advantage of Zabuza's position to stab him in the back with dozens of spears and swords. My heart tightened. He definitely will not survive this. “If I can't kill your friend you’re the one who will die. And you'll die alone!” Gatô sneered as he stepped away from Zabuza. 

“Unfortunately, I don't have any intentions to die alone.” Zabuza straightened up. 

“What? Stop playing tricks!” 

Zabuza slowly approached him just like a zombie and glued his nose to Gatô’s. “You, you'll come with me.. in Hell!” the nuke-nin screamed at the shorter’s man face. “It won't be difficult. I, Demon of Kirigakure, will finally become a real demon when dead and in Hell! Be ready! You'll have the occasion to check if i'm more than a baby demon in Hell!” 

Gatô didn't have time to react since Zabuza tore through his throat and completely decapitated him with the kunai as soon as he stopped talking. His head fell in the ocean, followed quickly by the rest of his body when Zabuza kicked it. 

The only thing I could do was push Haku away from me, turn away from Kakashi and Naruto and throw up when we heard the ominous splash. I felt someone hold my hair while I was busy emptying my stomach and cried silently. What the hell? The real deal was way more goring than the anime or manga. Damn this universe, damn this system, damn everything. I never saw someone die before, especially in such a gruesome way, and I had foolishly hoped it could last that way. Couldn't it last? No, of course not. Because here it was normal to witness death and bring death yourself before you barely reach puberty. I couldn't stop the tears. I hoped I’d never have to kill an enemy. I was all for ending the cycle of hatred before it comes trendy if I could avoid seeing such horrid things.

I turned and silently thanked Kakashi for holding my hair. They were now completely loose. He said nothing but nodded at me. I took the flask of water inside my pouch and cleaned my mouth before taking in the sight in front of me. It was like time had stopped after the CEO’s death. Naruto was paralyzed, staring in shock at Zabuza who was now glaring madly at the rest of the thugs.

All of a sudden they all cowered in fear, some of them even dropped their weapons. They parted in two groups and cleared the way, making a passageway for the missing nin. 

Zabuza finally dropped Naruto’s kunai and slowly walked forward. He did a few steps and fell on his knees, weakened by the blood lose and pain caused by his several wounds. The thugs circled him. He lifted his head and stared at Haku who was now lying next to me.

“I guess it's time to say goodbye. Haku.. thanks for everything. Forgive me..” he then fell head first on the ground. 

I bit my lower lip and closed my eyes, saddened by the fact that Haku now had to live without him. 

“Naruto, Yasuho. Don't look away.” Kakashi spoke up. I opened my eyes and glanced at Naruto before glaring at Kakashi’s head. 

“I saw enough.” I replied curtly. 

“It's the end of a man who lived fully. You could at least show him some respect.” Kakashi pointed out without taking his eyes away from Zabuza. 

I said nothing and locked my eyes on Zabuza. Kakashi was right but this was fucked up. 

“Sasuke-kun!” Sakura yelled suddenly. She then cried loudly. She had calmed down during that whole Zabuza/Gatô situation and now that Sasuke woke up it was like the dam broke. 

I turned my head toward them and smiled when I saw Sasuke sat up. He was talking with Sakura, I couldn't hear their conversation but the girl was now smiling. I waved at them when Sasuke noticed us. 

Sakura helped him stand up and she waved at us. “Naruto! Yasuho!” 

“Hm?” I heard Naruto hum in question by my side. 

“Sasuke is fine. He is still alive!” She happily announced. 

Naruto completely turned toward them and grabbed my shoulder. “Eh?” 

Sasuke scowled before reluctantly sending us a wave. 

Naruto laughed and cried in relief. I pinched his hand to catch his attention and smiled at him once I had it. “I won the bet. I didn't lie to you, Sasuke was alive! He just ended up in a lethargic state.” 

“You really did!” Naruto jumped in joy before stopping suddenly. He grabbed my good shoulder and shook it in panic. “But I don't know what I owe you!” 

I winked at him. “Don't worry, you don't owe me anything. I already have your friendship and that's enough to make me happy.” 

He shook my shoulder once again and shook his head. “Nuh-huh, you reassured me and I didn't believe you! I’ll get you something once we get back to Konoha whether you want it or not! I promise you, dattebayo!” 

I shook my head and smiled at him. He was too precious. “Maa, it's not like I can stop you now.” 

Naruto grinned back but it transformed into a teary smile when his gaze landed on Haku. 

“I'm glad Sasuke is safe and sound. I can finally breathe.” Kakashi spoke up softly while watching said boy. His chakra was less tense now that he had visual proof of my earlier reassurance. Before that it felt as if he was two steps away from shutting down or having the breakdown of the century. 

“Oi, oi, oi, oi.” One of Gatô’s thugs called us out. We immediately turned to look at him and saw all the thugs pointing their weapons in our direction. The thug, who frankly looked like a turtle ninja, brave and/or stupid enough smirked at us. “You think that you're safe!” 

The one next to him spoke up. “Fucking ninjas! You killed our golden goose! 

The turtle ninja one continued. “That's why we’ll attack the town and plunder the wealth. S’not like we have any choices!” 

The rest of the crowd cried in agreement. 

“This sucks.” Kakashi narrowed his eyes at them. 

Naruto turned toward the silver-haired man and tightened his fists. “Ne, Kakashi-sensei. Don't you have a jutsu or a trick to eliminate them?” 

“Impossible. I’m out of chakra.” 

“Let’s go!” the turtle ninja wannabe pointed his sword toward us, commanding the others to start the attack. They all started racing, screaming different kinds of war cries but an arrow landing in front of them quickly stopped their race. 

We all turned toward where it came from and saw a determined Inari holding a crossbow, while wearing a pan as hat, standing in front of all the armed and very angry villagers. 

“We’ll slaughter all of those who will dare getting close to the island.” a villager behind Inari threatened. “We’ll protect the island until the end, even if we have to die!” 

All the rest of them, except for Inari and his mother, lifted their weapons in the air and cried in determination. 

“Inari!” Naruto yelled and grinned at the boy. 

Said boy laughed and rubbed his nose. “I’m the hero who comes at the last minute.” Tsunami smiled at him. 

“Inari! You all..” Tazuna cried, moved by how the villagers were now all united. 

Naruto looked between the bewildered thugs and determined villagers. He grinned, faced the thugs and did his infamous mudra. “Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!” Four Narutos appeared by his sides. 

The thugs all took a step back in panic. 

I snickered. They really weren't dangerous for us if they got this scared because of a crowd of civilians and a small jutsu. 

Kakashi shook his head and closed his eyes. “Kage Bunshin no Jutsu..” What seemed to be at least fifty clones of Kakashi appeared behind a still crouched Kakashi. “..Kakashi style!” They all finished at the same time. I snorted. What a dork. The thugs, now faced with a truly fearsome sight (a dreamy sight if I do say so. But then, it depended on the pov.) I enjoyed the view of all those Kakashis while they all screamed in fear. “So, are you ready?” All the clones asked while doing intimidating poses. 

It was truly a great sight. The thing I needed after this endless day to forget that I wanted to sleep and never wake up since my arm still hurt like a bitch and I reeked of puke. 

“No, we are not ready!” All the thugs yelled at the clones as they ran in the opposite direction and returned to their boat. 

All the clones could do was join the bridge’s rail and watch them go before disappearing. If only all the fights could end like this. 

“Yatta!” Inari cried in joy and was quickly followed by all the villagers. 

Kakashi ignored them and silently joined Zabuza's side making them calm down. 

“Looks like it's all over.” Zabuza, who was still alive somehow, spoke up. 

“Yes.” 

“Kakashi, I have a favor to ask you.” 

“What is it?” 

“I would like to.. I would like to see his face and talk to him one last time.” 

Kakashi finally put his hitai-ate back in place, covering his sharingan now that there wasn't any danger. “Okay.” he agreed. He spoke so softly we could barely hear him. 

I leaned my head into Naruto’s side in comfort when I saw him get distressed when Kakashi started to take all the swords and spears out of Zabuza's back. He took a shaky breath and put his hand on my shoulder. 

Kakashi turned Zabuza on his back and stood up, holding him bride-style. He walked calmly toward Naruto, Haku and I as snow started to fell on the bridge. 

“It snows.” one of the villagers pointed out. 

I smiled sadly when snowflakes landed on my face. I loved snow. I didn't see snow since I was 17 years old due to global warming but I was too saddened by Zabuza's death to be happy about the snow. I didn't care about him and Haku when I watched the anime but now after having met them and all.. it was really tragic. 

Kakashi arrived close to us and gently lied Zabuza at Haku’s other side. 

“Thanks, Kakashi.” 

Kakashi said nothing and joined mine and Naruto’s side. 

I gasped in panic when the teen suddenly woke and sat up. “Wha- I’m not dead?” He looked around him in panic and stopped when he saw a half-dead Zabuza at his side. “Zabuza-sama!” he cried out and tried to get up but was stopped by his wounded arm. “What happened?!” 

“I’m sorry Haku. I wish you didn't have to see me die, Kami knows you'll be heartbroken, but I'm glad I can talk to you one last time.” 

Haku ignored his wound and cupped Zabuza's cheeks. Tears fell on the missing-nin’s neck. “No! I’m the one sorry for being a useless tool! You’re dying because I couldn't protect you!” the teen cried. 

Zabuza tried to chuckle but ended up coughing blood. “Shut up, kid. You were always by my side. Let me be near you in my last moments and say what I have to say before it's too late.” Haku didn't have time to answer as he continued. “I’m glad I got to meet you and save you from that street back in Kirigakure. I’m sorry, Haku. I was a fool for ever thinking that you were my tool. I love you like you're my own son and I’m sorry I waited all that time to realize it and tell you.” he coughed and patted Haku’s head with a shaky arm. “Please, go live a long life where you're the one in control and not anybody's tool. That's all I’m asking for you. You don't even have to be a shinobi anymore if you want. I know how much you despise killing living beings but you did it anyway when I asked you to. You're truly a kind boy.” his arm dropped. “If only.. we could meet up in the same place in the afterlife..” 

Clouds parted and a ray of sunlight covered his face while snow kept falling all around us when Zabuza died. All Haku did was stare dully at Zabuza's face and cry silently. 

Naruto sobbed. “Zabuza was nice in the end. He didn't deserve to die.” 

I blinked multiple times to stop the threatening tears and took Naruto's hand in mine. I squeezed it in reassurance and Naruto squeezed my hand back. 

“I wish it didn't have to end like that. You can go now, Zabuza. I'm sure you'll meet in the afterlife.” Kakashi softly added. He put his hand on Haku’s shoulder. The latter jumped in shock and fell back on a defensive stance. “Don't worry. I just wanted to help you.” 

Haku gazed at him and with dull, lifeless eyes. He looked like he was seconds away from joining Zabuza in death. “Let me stay with him a little while.” 

I nodded at him. “Of course, but don't forget what he told you. Don't throw your life away now that he’s dead. You can have other purposes in life. It’ll be hard for you at first but I’m sure you'll manage it.” 

He stared blankly at me and nodded hesitantly. “You're the one who saved me and stopped me from sacrificing myself earlier.” 

“Yeah, and I’ll do it in a heartbeat if it could stop you from dying.” I sent him a lopsided smile. I didn't lie but I wasn't ready to be in the opposite end of one of Kakashi’s jutsu again. 

“I see.” His eyes finally left my face as he returned to stare at his fallen master. 

I gazed at the falling snow. “Sorry Kakashi-sensei, don't get scared but now that we aren't in any immediate danger I can finally let myself faint.” The last thing I saw was Kakashi and Naruto’s panicked faces before falling on my back and seeing all black. 

~~~~

The setting sun was in parallel with the hole in Zabuza's big ass sword giving a poetic image over his grave. It was the eve of the New Year’s eve, two weeks after the big and fucked up showdown on that damn bridge. Coincidentally it was also my birthday today but they didn't know that. Yet. 

Naruto told me that me losing consciousness made everyone panic, even Haku, they took Zabuza’s body and brought him to Tazuna's house while they tended to Haku and I. We were out of danger but we couldn't use our respective wounded arms and I needed to treat my burns and make them disappear (thanks chakra magic) at the hospital as soon as I get to Konoha. Yay. Then we went with a grieving Haku to bury Zabuza’s body on a cliff as soon as I regained consciousness. Now we were once again all in front of his grave for a last time since we’ll go back to Konoha tomorrow. 

“Ne, Kakashi-sensei..” Sakura spoke up. She was crouched in front of the grave, staring at the cross we made. 

“Hm?” 

“Does a ninja need to become just like he was saying?” She turned toward Kakashi and stood up. 

“‘A ninja cannot seek the reason for his existence. He needs to accept to live as a tool.’ This rule also applies in Konoha.” 

Sakura didn't answer as she simply returned to Sasuke’s side. 

Naruto turned toward Kakashi. He looked like someone kicked a puppy. “So that's it, becoming a true ninja?” he frowned at the ground. “Well, I.. I don't like it at all!” 

“Well said. That's plain bullshit. No offense, Haku.” The older teen didn't reply. I moved my left hand, who was currently the only one not in a makeshift cast, and high-fived Naruto. He smiled slightly at me but I knew he was troubled. 

“Do you agree with them?” Sasuke asked Kakashi. 

Kakashi made an exaggerated questioning noise. “What I can say is that all ninjas live while questioning this unconsciously. Like Zabuza and Haku. Hm, Haku? What are you going to do now?”

I turned toward the teen next to me. Haku took some time to answer, his eyes were stuck on Zabuza's grave. “I did. I’ll try to go and travel around the world, see if I can find a goal in my life other than being Zabuza-sama's tool and try to truly live like he asked me to even though I doubt it.” 

“That's a good start! I’m glad you're giving it a shot!” I sent him a sincere smile, truly happy that my presence could do something positive and save at least his life. 

Haku suddenly bowed to me. “Thanks for saving me when you didn't have to, Yasuho-san. You took the blow of the jutsu for me even though I was your enemy at the time. I’ll be forever in your debt.” 

No, no more debts! “No! I- I- Please, stop! I moved without thinking, you don't owe me anything. Please, Naruto already thinks he owes me something, I don't need to add you to the list! Just go live happily the way you want to and go visit us in Konoha whenever you want and I'll be happy!” I bowed down, hoping that he’ll accept my simple demand. I straightened my back after a few seconds and saw some kind of life regain his eyes. 

“Thank you.. I wish there was more people like you in this shinobi world.” He sent me a small smile. 

“Y-yeah. Don't mention it.” I turned my back to him as I felt my cheeks heat up. 

Kakashi, the troll, chuckled at me and I scowled at him. 

Naruto suddenly trembled. “Yosh!” He had been staring at the landscape in front of us since earlier and he now came to a life changing decision. “My decision is taken, dattebayo! I will practice the nindô my own way! I will run without slowing down, all straightforward and without feeling any regret-tebayo!” 

Kakashi’s chakra spiked in surprise and I smiled as he sent a sincere eye smile at Naruto’s back. We were all accepting of Naruto’s nindô. Even Sasuke wasn't judging him for once. 

I broke the content silence Naruto created. “And a happy birthday to me! I'm finally twelve! Fuck being eleven years old all year along! What a way to spend my birthday in front of a grave with all the people I care about!” I cheerfully spoke up. 

“What?!” Naruto and Sakura yelled into my ears. Sasuke didn't yell with them but he did whisper the word. 

“Maa, how did you know it was your birthday today? It's not written in your file since you had amnesia and couldn't possibly know.” Kakashi tensed. 

“I just picked the day I woke in Konoha. I started a new life and all with no memories so that's my birthday now! Can't believe it's been three years.” How lucky I was that I really woke up in Konoha the day of my birthday. I didn't even have to lie. I was supposed to be twenty-two today instead of twelve. Can't believe only four years separated Kakashi and I mentally. 

“I see. Happy birthday then, Yasuho-chan.” Kakashi relaxed and rubbed his neck. 

“Happy birthday.” Haku softly smiled at me. 

“Happy birthday, Yasuho-chan! You didn't tell me your birthday was coming soon, dattebayo!” Naruto cried out and attached himself at my back like a lil adorable orange monkey. “I don't have any gifts!” 

I laughed and tried to get him off of me. Mission impossible, the boy was glued to my back. “You don't have to! As I said, spending the day with the people I care about aka definitely you is enough!” 

“And I don't care! Direction Ichiraku no Ramen as soon as we get home! I think Gama-chan won't mind if I offer you a bowl.” Naruto stated firmly, leaving no place for discussion. 

“Hai, hai.” I sighed and let him be. 

The boy unsurprisingly got attached to me more than he ever did when one night, during those two weeks spent waiting for the end of the construction of the bridge, I told him (after telling Kakashi that I knew and getting his approval, of course) that I knew about Kurama since I saw him release the fox’s chakra. In plus of witnessing him turn into a literal angry human-like fox. I was just glad I could finally tell him that I knew about him being a jinchuriki and give him all the support and acceptance he deserved. He was so happy and relieved to have someone accept him despite his status besides the old pervert Hiruzen and Iruka that he cried in my arms and fell asleep in this position. I’ll get Kakashi one day for the picture he took of us. 

“Hm. Whatever, happy birthday.” Sasuke said while scowling at the ground. 

“Awww, look at him, he showed emotions! Thank you Sa-su-ke-kun.” I cooed at him as I avoided a kick. I used to hate him when I was watching Shippūden and I have no doubts that I’ll hate him later but I liked him now since he wasn't influenced by Orochimaru's hickey nor crazy due to Itachi’s death. I couldn't help but appreciate him. I liked teasing him. 

“Hn.” 

“Which means in the Uchiha dictionary 'You're welcome, Yasuho-chan!’” Naruto and I laughed as I avoided another kick. 

“Happy birthday, Yasuho.” Sakura said looking torn between defending who she thought was the love of her life and laughing at my teasing. 

“Thank you! Let's go back to Tazuna's house, I’ll show you how to do a chocolate fondant! It’ll be my anniversary cake!” I shunshined toward said house with a gleeful Naruto still attached to my back as I disappeared in glitters (I was trying to surpass Kakashi in terms of dramatic shunshin) as soon as I was done talking. 

~~~~

“Thanks to y'all, I could finally achieve the bridge. We're all going to miss you.” Tazuna spoke up from where he stood with some of the villagers, his daughter and Inari. 

“Take care of you.” Tsunami added. 

“Thanks for everything.” Kakashi sent them an eye smile while playing with my backpack. I couldn't wear it since my right arm was still in the makeshift cast so he asked to hold it for me. That was strangely nice. I was expecting something to go wrong anytime now. 

“Thank you!” I smiled and played with a strand of my hair. We didn't have to fight anyone so they were down for once. 

“Thank you very much for taking care of me and welcome me even after what happened.” Haku bowed down and smiled. 

Naruto grinned. “Don't worry, old man. We’ll come see you again, dattebayo.”

I hoped not. 

“Promised?” Inari asked shakily. He looked like he was seconds away from sobbing. 

“Hm?” Naruto got confused. Tazuna put a hand on his grandson’s head when the boy started crying. “Inari, you’re sad, aren't you?” Naruto immediately got teary eyed and started shaking too. “You can cry if you want. Cry, dattebayo.” 

“I won't cry! You too, Naruto-niichan, you can cry.” Guess what Inari was doing. 

“Of course..” Guess what Naruto was doing. “Ja-ne!” Naruto cried his goodbye and turned toward the bridge. 

Inari cried out.

They were now both harboring waterfalls in both of their cheeks. 

“Crybabies.” I snorted seeing Naruto and Inari cry like they were toddlers with the snot hanging from the nose and everything while still trying to look badass. 

We finally departed after a few minutes. We walked at a slow pace, not even aware that the villagers decided to call the bridge we were currently crossing ´The Great Naruto Bridge’. 

I spoke up. “I hope we’ll never come back and see this bridge again. Too much trauma.” I added as I nursed the bump Kakashi gave me when he hit my head for being rude. (read = truthful) 

Naruto crossed his arms behind his head. “Yosh! Let's hurry home!” the blonde-haired boy yelled. “Iruka-sensei will offer me ramen now that the mission is accomplished. And that's not all! We can properly celebrate Yasuho-chan’s birthday! I'll also need to tell all my exploits to Konohamaru.” 

“I'll try to forget what happened here as much as I can. Nothing too exciting.” I snickered at Kakashi who tried to hit my head again. 

“If you don't mind, I’ll accompany you and leave you in a day or two once we’ll get in Hi no Kuni.” Haku glanced at Kakashi. The older man nodded at him and smiled. 

“As for me.. Ne, Sasuke-kun, what if we went on a date together when we go home?” 

“No, no way.” 

Sakura stopped walking. “I don't believe it!” 

Naruto stopped too. “Ano sa, it's okay, I’m available, da-tte-ba-yo!” 

Sakura strangled him and I was too tired to interfere. “You, shut your mouth, Naruto!” She punched him making him nearly fell in the ocean. She then went to pinch his cheeks. 

Kakashi eye smiled, Sasuke smirked, Haku let out a light chuckle and I snickered at Naruto and Sakura’s antics. Even the now familiar cries of the seagulls sounded like they were laughing at them. 

Omake :

Kakashi took Yasuho's collar, stopping her from leaving the group when they arrived in Konoha. 

She immediately stopped walking and scowled at him. "What do you want? I wanna see my cat before going to the hospital." 

"It can wait. We need to go see the Hokage about.." he turned and sent an eye smile at the other kids, hoping they'll go and leave them some privacy. Unfortunately, they didn't get the clue. "..about a problem concerning your cat." He finished lamely. 

"O-okay?" she narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously but said nothing else. 

"Well, Ja-ne, kids." Kakashi sent a peace sign to Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura before leaving in a shunshin while still holding the source of his headache by the collar.

He instantly appeared in the middle of the Sandaime's office and had to stop a disorientated Yasuho from falling. 

The girl laughed, unknowingly stopping the Hokage as he was about to speak. "Wow, your shunshin was so fast I want to puke! I didn't even see the environment change! I'll train hard to get at your level, Kakashi-sensei!" Sarutobi Hiruzen chuckled and the girl stopped laughing as soon as she was aware of where she was. She bowed down. "Sorry, Sandaime-sama." 

The Hokage blew a puff of smoke. "Don't worry, child." he smiled at the brunette. "I'm glad to see a young genin get eager to surpass her sensei." 

Said genin blushed at the attention but didn't reply.

Kakashi cleared his throat. "I can't wait to see your progress, but first we need to talk about a certain event that happened during the mission. I hope you received the scroll sent by Pakkun one week ago, Sandaime-sama." 

The Sandaime lost all humor in his facial features and nodded grimly at the silver-haired man. "Yes, let's talk about how a genin could know a S-rank secret." he pointed the girl with an unforgiving glare. 

Kakashi saw the Hokage give a secret hand signal making all his ANBU guards disappear and give them privacy.

The girl gulped in fear and looked between Kakashi and the Hokage. "H-hai, but I already told everything to Kakashi." 

He knew she didn't mean to know about Naruto's tenant but they needed to scare her and make her understand that this was no laughing matter. It was unfortunate but they already thought she could be a spy, she was the last person they wanted to know about the Kyubi.

"I know, but I need you to tell what happened again." The Hokage stood up and walked in front of her, pipe still in his mouth. 

"W-when Sasuke 'died'.." she quoted the last words with her fingers. "Naruto completely lost his mind due to the grief and a huge orange and malevolent chakra surrounded us inside the dome. The chakra suffocated me and also took the form of a fox. Right after that, Naruto's scars thickened, his eyes became red and his nails turned into claws." She narrowed her eyes at the Hokage. "I don't know where I was when it happened but we learned enough about the Kyubi attack in the Academy to guess that this was his chakra. Also, I'm not deaf and blind. I often walk through the streets of Konoha with Naruto. The civilians just love to call him words such as 'demon', 'freak' and 'fox' whenever he walks somewhere. The demon must have been sealed inside Naruto in order to contain it. I simply connected the dots when the orange chakra took the fox's form and I wasn't wounded enough for it to be an hallucination." she sighed. "If you want my opinion, that's not a well-guarded S-rank secret if every citizens and their grandmothers know about." 

The Hokage simply nodded and smoked into his pipe as he mulled over her words. Kakashi scratched the metal plate of his glove, deep in thought. She seemed sincere but still sounded like she had something to hide. He had hoped forcing her to tell to the Hokage what she saw would make her tell the complete truth, but it was in vein. 

"I see. That's a fair argument. What do you intend to do with your knowledge?" The older man pinned her with his brown eyes. He had nothing grandfatherly in his stature at this moment.

"Nothing, Hokage-sama. I just want to show my support to Naruto. If he truly contained the Kyubi all those years and didn't unleash him despite the hate he's receiving by the whole village, the boy is actually our hero. He's the only thing protecting us from the Kyubi and I'll be eternally grateful to him. I told Kakashi that I knew because I wanted Naruto not to be alone anymore since Sasuke and Sakura still don't know about it. That's all there is to it so please don't punish me, I won't tell a single soul about it." the green-eyed girl bowed down to both Kakashi and the Hokage. 

Kakashi couldn't help but smile at her honesty.

The Hokage smiled slightly and joined the window. He crossed his arms behind his back and stared at the roofs of the village. "I'm glad Naruto has a friend like you." Yasuho straightened her back and gaped at the Hokage. "Your Will of Fire shines brightly, child. Sorry for treating you like a criminal but we needed to see your true intentions on this matter. Don't make me regret trusting you with Naruto's jinchuriki status. "

The brunette nodded eagerly. "You won't. I promise!"

"Alright, but know that if you divulge the secret to anyone I will have no choice but to give you the capital punishment."

"H-hai, Hokage-sama." A sweat drop appeared on her forehead and Kakashi ruffled her hair.

The Hokage turned toward Kakashi and her, regaining a grandfatherly aura. "You can go to the hospital now. Kakashi I need to speak with you in private."

"Hai, Hokage-sama." Kakashi focused on his leader.

The source of his headache bowed down, said her goodbyes and quickly left. 

"You'll give me a complete report of the mission later. First of all, I need you to give an oral report about Tsuki Yasuho’s behavior and your conclusion on if she’s a spy or no." The Hokage returned to his desk and put his pipe in a drawer. 

Kakashi knelt on one knee, entering in full report mode. The gesture became ingrained in him after all those years in ANBU. " Yasuho is smart and mature enough to make me think that I'm interacting with someone in their early twenties most of the time. The only times she looks her age is when she's joking with Naruto and teasing Sasuke. She’s level-headed and always think before acting. She’s a prodigy of her own, just look at how she guessed Naruto's secret. It is not really the kind of prodigies Itachi and I are, and I hope it stays that way. She has strong, defined opinions about the majority of things and people and doesn't try to change them unless when influenced by an event. The girl is oddly protective of Minato’s son despite the village’s prejudice against him. She defends him whenever she can and shows promising teamwork with him. The problem is that she dislikes her other teammates and don’t hide it very well which ruins the team dynamic even more than it already is due to the rivalry between the boys. I had hoped that she would found a solidarity with Sakura since they’re both the only girls of the team but her dislike for her fangirl’s tendencies is too strong. Concerning Sasuke, their relationship changed after the mission. Before going to Nami no Kuni, Yasuho acted as if the boy wasn’t even there with just a few remarks against him here and there. Frankly, I was surprised to see someone from their age group other than Naruto dislike the Last Uchiha. Fortunately, the mission and the fact that Sasuke protected Naruto and her warmed her to him and she has been teasing him amicably every time she could since then. I can only hope she will do the same with Sakura.”

The Hokage hummed. “I see. And what about you?” 

Kakashi hesitated. “I don’t really know. She immediately showed genuine affection and a deep admiration for me when I met the team and it had not faded in the slightest ever since. But she’s not a fangirl because the admiration is directed toward me as a person instead of my title and reputation and it looks harmless. She always try to be in my good graces whenever she can and looks deeply upset whenever I get angry. To be honest, the girl is easily influenced by me. She even did a deal with me; she’ll do whatever I tell her to in exchange for having masks similar to mine. She explained herself by saying that she wanted to keep her anonymity during missions but I just think she wants to copy me?” he ended his explanation, not really sure of himself. He always had admirers but never ones like that.

The Sandaime laughed. “You and Gai are more similar than you think. It’s your turn to have a mini you and the world isn’t ready for a mini Kakashi. I just hope she won’t copy your tardiness and false excuses.” 

Kakashi’s first reflex was to blanch at the mention of Gai. He then blanched at the fact that someone wanted to emulate him. Him, Kakashi the Friend Killer. He wasn’t anyone worth admiring. At least Gai was a good person even though he turned his poor student into a walking green menace just like him. 

He then forced a chuckle. “I hope not. But you were right, Hokage-sama. she knows and is hiding things. I discovered that she has sensor abilities and is immune to Genjutsu and Killing Intent. She looked barely phased by Zabuza’s potent killing intent. I didn’t see her when Naruto cracked his seal but it’s probable she lied to us earlier about it suffocating her. She also mastered Tree and Water Walking well before Graduation by just watching other ninjas do it. If she can hide all of that I’m sure there are other things. I’ll get advantage of her oddly placed affection for me to get close to her and know what she’s hiding.”

“Good idea, Kakashi-kun. Do you know what you’re going to make her do in exchange for the mask?” 

Kakashi rubbed his neck. “I don’t know yet. I was thinking between forcing her to pay for my meals at Ichiraku or..” Kakashi stopped seeing the Hokage shake his head disapprovingly. It looked like he couldn’t joke anymore. “I will make her organize a team dinner at her place or something. In the name of teamwork.” He lamely decided. This was a good idea but he needed to find something better for the deal. 

The Sarutobi smiled at him. “That’s better.” His smile suddenly fell. “She clearly has secrets that need to be undiscovered or else Danzô will have her head but do you think the girl is a spy?” 

Kakashi let out a sigh before replying with more certainty he ever had in him for years. “No, I don’t think she’s a spy.” 

“And how is that?”

“Even if she was a spy she’s too attached to Naruto and I now to betray the village. You said it yourself, the Will of Fire shines brightly in her even though it is through her affection for Naruto and I. She wasn’t even aware of it. Moreover, she wouldn’t throw herself in the way of my Raikiri in order to protect and save someone’s life despite the high odds of her getting killed if she was a spy with plans to fulfill.” Kakashi paused. The fact that he almost killed a student of his had almost destroyed him, spy or not. He tried to avoid the fact that he almost recreated Rin’s death with the girl who almost looked like her. The scene will certainly haunt him for a while. He was just thankful he just slashed her arm. What was she even thinking sacrificing herself like that? Naruto reminded him enough of Obito, he didn’t need another sacrificial idiot. “But we can’t be 100% sure, I’ll still need to watch her.”

The Sarutobi stroked his bear. “You made some very good points, I believe you. Keep watching her for any suspicious behavior. You shall notify me about the situation whenever you will feel the need to. I hope you are right..” he paused. “You can stand up and go do whatever you do during your free time.” Kakashi thanked him and stood up. “Don’t forget to give me a written and complete report of the mission first thing tomorrow. I want to know why you ever thought it was a good idea to continue a C-rank turned A-rank mission while being accompanied by four genins and a civilian.” The Hokage glared at the jonin. 

Kakashi gulped and brought his wrist in front of his face, mimicking checking the time on a watch he didn’t have. “Ano sa.. looks like it’s time to go feed the neighbor’s dog. Bye.” the silver-haired man immediately disappeared in a shunshin leaving dozens of leaves on the ground and an annoyed Hokage.

What he didn't know was that he wasn't the only one who left. One of Danzô's spies had really interesting things to report to his master.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> !!!!! I hope you liked this chapter !! Don't forget to leave comments and tell me what you think of my decision to leave Haku alive and what you think of the bonus scene!! Tell me and give me suggestions if you want more of those with whose character pov. I'd be happy to write them!


End file.
